Fire Commissioners Set Dates for Informational Meeting and Vote

DENNISVILLE – The board of Fire Commissioners for Dennis Township Fire District No. 1 set a tentative schedule for upcoming meetings and a special vote, but remained optimistic that they and the Ocean View Fire Company could find common ground and agree on a long-term contract. Currently the fire company is operating on a month-to-month contract with the commissioners after rejecting four previous versions.
The Nov. 20 commissioners’ meeting was a stark change from the Nov. 13 special meeting when shouting and overcrowding ruled the day. This time around, a modest group of people filled Township Hall to hear and discuss the night’s agenda.
During the meeting Financial Advisor Joseph Willshire revealed that expenses through the end of October were $12,487 over budget for professional services.
“We’ve got bills tonight for legal fees to the tune of roughly $1,500 to $1,600 and that gets us through for Jimmy (Pickering) through September and for (Richard) Braslow through October, so you’ve got roughly two to three months of additional legal fees that are going to be coming through that have to be accounted for in the budget adjustment,” said Willshire. “There’s not enough money here to do that.”
Willshire estimated that, for professional services, the budget would ultimately end up $25,000 to $30,000 over budget. “With an $8,000 budget, that’s 300 to 400 percent,” he added.
According to Willshire, the statutory date for filing an approved budget is Dec. 17. But in order to do that, the question of whether or not the commissioners can transfer $200,000 from the capital fund to the general budget needs to be addressed.
Willshire presented the commissioners with three options pertaining to the budget. In each option the revenue, in the amount of $375,000, remains the same. Options two and three allow for professional services up to $50,000; however, option three also allows for the addition of two new line items.
“I think this is the one we have to go with,” said Willshire, referencing option three.
The additional line items account for $50,000 in rental fees for a building the commissioners plan to lease in order to house fire trucks, as well as for $25,000 toward water, gas and electric.
“What this does is set up an upper boundary,” said Willshire. “The worst thing you can do with the state, in my opinion, is to have the same problem two years in a row. You can claim ignorance and ask for forgiveness the first time. The second time they don’t want to hear it.”
During the public comment section of the meeting, Ocean View resident Sandy Izzi said she first learned of problems within the Ocean View Fire Company in February. Concerned about the number of qualified firefighters serving the district, Izzi explained that some residents began to take photographs of the firefighters while they were responding to calls. In the photographs, Izzi said the responding firefighters neglected to wear the proper safety gear, which she feared could cause injury to the responder or result in a lawsuit or workers’ compensation claim.
Shortly after she brought the photographs to the commissioners’ and fire company’s attention, Izzi alleged members of the fire company began to harass her, driving by her house and blowing the horns at 4 a.m. with no justifiable cause.
“I don’t care about them harassing me. They can harass me every day for the rest of my life til I die,” said Izzi. “I care about my neighbors who have little children that get up to go to school.”
Thomas Rock, of Ocean View, admitted to taking photographs of the firefighters in action. He also said he was concerned about their lack of safety gear. Additionally, Rock said he viewed videos of Ocean View fire trucks driving past Izzi’s residence, sounding the horn and speeding.
“It’s nothing but pure harassment,” Rock said.
Chairman Bryan Moran said the commissioners had a meeting with representatives from the fire company to talk about the problems raised by both Izzi and Rock. “We were reassured that it would stop and that there would be no more issues with the horns blowing and the sirens going when there was no need. We have to take their word for it and we’ll have to hope that they hold to their word and that we don’t have this issue again,” said Moran.
Alma Waltz George, of Ocean View, also addressed the commissioners. “I’m concerned,” George said. “I really want to see people start acting like adults and putting their differences aside and doing what’s right.”
George said she recently witnessed an incident at Magnolia Lake involving members of the fire company that caused her to take action. “I don’t know how long this has been going on, I think it may have happened more than once,” George said. “I had to go over and tell the gentlemen to stop doing what they were doing as they were causing harm to the earth and dam that Route 9 sits on. They were allowing water to leave the back of the truck unrestricted without a hose hooked up.”
George said the actions of the firemen were causing a large hole to form near a concrete wall that had already been compromised by Hurricane Sandy. “They’re lucky I didn’t report them to the State Department of Transportation, the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection), and the Dam Safety Division because if they continue to do that, it would compromise that area and could undermine Route 9, eventually,” George continued.
When approached, George said the men had “a lack of respect for what they were doing” and exhibited a “lackadaisical attitude.” George said she was concerned by the lack of training within the company.
After hearing the public’s concerns, the commissioners set a tentative schedule to address the current situation with the Ocean View Fire Company, as well as to finalize the budget. As it stands, an informational meeting will held on Dec. 4, followed by a special meeting to vote on the $200,000 expenditure on Dec. 7, with a place and time for both to be determined. The commissioners then plan to meet on Dec. 11 to finalize the budget.
Chairman Bryan Moran said the $200,000 would be used by the commission to purchase equipment that would be owned by the district and the taxpayers. “That would secure the equipment and gear for the fire service of the district and it would assure you, the taxpayer, that you owned it,” said Moran. The trucks, Moran explained, were already owned by the commission.
“Our primary job is to provide fire service for the district. It doesn’t matter from who, as long as it’s provided by us and the only way to do that 100 percent is to make sure the taxpayers have control of the equipment so that it can’t be used against them in contract negotiations,” said Moran.
When Woodbine resident and former Ocean View firefighter Victor Hartley asked the commissioners how long negotiations would continue with Ocean View Fire Company, Treasurer Michael Fry said, “as long as it takes.”
“We’re making headway here,” added Gansert. “We’re not going to stop right this second. We’re actually moving forward.”
As for the concern about taxes being raised, Moran said the $200,000 expenditure would not raise taxes.
Following the meeting, Ocean View Volunteer Fire Company Chief Joseph Gurdgiel said he was optimistic about the direction of negotiations with the fire commissioners, citing support from the taxpayers as the driving force. “Hopefully it’s going to get worked out,” Gurdgiel said.
Photos by Luis Arroyo.
To contact Kirby Reed, email kreed@cmcherald.com.
For the Herald’s previous coverage, go to:
VIDEO: Dennis Fire Commissioners Hold General Meeting
http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/news/dennisville/96583-dennis+fire+commissioners+hold+general+meeting+tonight
Ocean View Fire Commissioners Face Irate, Standing-Room-Only Crowd
http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/government/dennisville/96432-ocean+view+fire+commissioners+face+irate+standingroomonly+crowd