Attention all New Rochelle Residents
Despite what city management is telling its residents, the City of New Rochelle has once again threatened to eliminate firefighter positions. This threat puts in danger the vital services we provide to you, the citizens of New Rochelle
Today, the city is in the process of preparing its 2010 budget. The City has made it clear that layoffs are a distinct possibility. In fact, it has been brought to the Firefighters’ attention that The City of New Rochelle is seriously contemplating eliminating 16 firefighter positions. That amount is equal to 10% of our current work force.
Presently, the NRFD has 8 positions that remain unfilled due to a hiring freeze unilaterally imposed by the City of New Rochelle. This hiring freeze forces us to operate BELOW recommended staffing levels. Apparently, that sacrifice is not enough for the City of New Rochelle. Instead, the City has threatened to lay-off and eliminate 8 more firefighter positions, on top of the 8 already unfilled.
Our Department
Over the last thirty (30) years, The New Rochelle Fire Department, made up solely of professional firefighters, has evolved into a full-service emergency response department. The services that we provide far exceed the services of other surrounding departments. In addition to firefighting, we also provide
-Emergency Medical Services
-Vehicle Extrication
-Hazardous Material Response (HAZMAT)
-Oil and fuel spills
-Trench Rescue and Building Collapse
-Water and Ice Rescue
-Natural Gas Leaks
-Carbon Monoxide Emergencies
-Fire Prevention and Education
-Fire Inspections
Today we perform these services with far fewer firefighters. Did you know that in 1973, there were approximately 200 firefighters on The NRFD? During that time, our department responded to approximately three thousand (3000) calls per year. Today, in 2009, we are currently staffed at 160 members with the City threatening to reduce this overall number to approximately 152. Yet, despite the significantly lower number of firefighters, the NRFD responds to approximately 8,000 EMERGENCIES per year, an increase of 350% from 1973.
Understand that the Firefighter’s Union does not make staffing level recommendations. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) recommends that departments such as New Rochelle’s maintain a certain number of firefighters on each piece of equipment in order to:
1. effectively and aggressively respond to an incident within a certain time frame and
2. respond to a scene in such time frame with a required minimum number of firefighters
The NFPA recognizes that there is a direct correlation of increased firefighter injury, increased civilian death and injury, and increased property damage when a fire department deviates from their recommendations. The New Rochelle Fire Department is presently operating with fewer firefighters than recommended under the NFPA guidelines.
Yet, despite this fact, your New Rochelle Firefighters are not pressuring the city to hire additional personnel. In fact, it would be reasonable for the firefighters to request more personnel especially in light of new construction within the city and the fact that multiple high rise buildings dot the landscape of downtown New Rochelle.
What we ARE vigorously fighting for is to maintain the current staffing levels, which are at the bare minimum. In truth, any further cut in personnel amounts to a gamble on the part of the City of New Rochelle that a significant tragedy can be averted.
What Firefighters are Doing
The Firefighter’s Union has met on several occasions with city officials in an effort to find common ground to avert layoffs. We are cognizant of the current fiscal restraints caused by the economy. The City clearly identified the year 2010, and its accompanying budget, to be problematic. The City asked the Firefighter’s Union to be creative by coming up with a way to assist the city in order to avoid layoffs.
In good faith, the Firefighters did exactly what the City requested. The Firefighters came forward with a proposal that would save the city significant monies for 2010. Yet, despite doing exactly what the City asked, the proposal was dismissed out of hand and not given any consideration.
The Firefighter’s proposal was a mutually beneficial one and did the following:
-addressed the current fiscal situation by increasing the city’s 2010 cash flow by about 1.2 million in the form of an interest free loan. Again, the City has identified 2010 as a “lean” year during which belts must be tightened and sacrifices made.
-included an agreement by all New Rochelle Firefighters to defer their entire 2010 salary increase until future years, giving the city breathing room and allowing them the chance to address their fiscal issues.
City’s Position
The sad reality is that firefighters and other city employees are simply part of a “mathematical equation” to the City of New Rochelle. It is simply all about numbers, not people.
The city is firm in its stance: We either (a) agree to defer our entire contractually negotiated raises for the year 2010 until the year 2012 and 2013 or (b) the City will lay off an additional 8 firefighters and eliminate a total of 16 positions. Interestingly, the City would still NOT guarantee that no firefighters would be laid off even if we met their unilateral and one sided demands .
The city is giving no consideration to the negative impact layoffs would have:
.
– jeopardizing the safety of its citizens
– jeopardizing it firefighter safety
– destroying department morale
Furthermore
It is our contention that during the real estate boom, or so called “good times”, the City of New Rochelle did not adequately plan for the future. Because of this failure to plan, we are now faced with a threat of layoffs. It is the responsibility of the council and city management to budget for these vital services. It is not the responsibility of the firefighters to assist with this effort. Yet we willingly agreed to engage the City in an attempt to address their financial issues. This was done with the best interests of the City, its people, and the morale of the department in mind.
Surrounding Communities
No other surrounding communities are threatening layoffs of firefighters for 2010. In fact, multiple fire departments are looking to hire additional firefighters. Based on information that we received, Yonkers is currently hiring upwards of 35 firefighters, Larchmont is entertaining the hiring of 3-4 additional firefighters, Greenburg is putting on 3 new firefighters, and Eastchester is in the process of hiring 3 members. Surrounding cities including Mount Vernon have not even mentioned layoffs. So why is New Rochelle? That is a question our residents should ask their respective city council members.
Other Sources of Revenue
There are many other avenues the City can consider in order to raise the appropriate revenue to avoid cutting staffing levels in the fire department. For example, both Avalon projects, totaling 24 stories and 40 stories respectively, received and continue to receive generous tax reductions. They are not contributing what would be considered “their fair share”. These high rises, and other similarly situated high rises, utilize our services extensively.
In the event of a fire in one of these structures, our department would be depleted of all on-duty personnel to properly operate at the scene. If this should happen, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to properly respond to any other incident throughout the city.
There is quite simply is no room for any reduction in manpower today or in the future.
Perhaps a public safety fee on students at local colleges (which pay no property taxes) would also assist in generating revenue for the City.
In Summary
We ask the residents, citizens, and business owners of New Rochelle for their support by contacting their local city council leaders and telling them that “enough is enough”. The City is growing and the Fire Department is shrinking. We cannot afford to cut vital emergency service personnel any further.
Take-Home Cars – Paterson limiting use for Commissioners
In light of budget shortfalls, late last week Paterson announced a new policy that commissioners would no longer have the same take-home car benefits that they have enjoyed.
The Daily News (9/18/09) said — DN Capitol Bureau Chief Ken Lovett reports that a new Paterson administration vehicle policy released this afternoon states that “state officials of cabinet rank and heads of agencies shall not be assigned a permanent vehicle.”
“when a commissioner requires the use of a vehicle, they must request one from the agency’s general pool of cars. This ensures a more efficient allocation of resources, since all vehicles will be in general circulation for use by rank and file agency employees, as necessary..”
“Before cars are assigned to any state employees, their agencies must perform an “analysis of all available options for securing transportation, including such alternatives as public transportation and vehicle rentals.”
How about something similar for New Rochelle? I read something about how they have to drive their own cars to work and then can use a state car from the fleet as needed for official business.
Irving Peters could run the
Irving Peters could run the fire dept better than that do-nothing commish. The commish hasn’t done anything of value in over 30 years, except pour beer at Dudleys for his drining buddies. Don’t be fooled, he’s second rate. If he worked for the FDNY he’d be run outta town, they wouldn’t put up with his smoke and mirrors game.
Let me add Commisioner Carrol to that list
If Doc is under fire and the screams are to force him to retire how about adding Commisioner Carrol to that list as well. Take Murphy with him as well
me too
take coleman and wild joe his side kick as well.
put things into perspective and focus
yes there are surely state wide, likely nationwide issues around pensions and yes, the normal retirement dates, disability retirements, overtime issues, etc. contribute to inflated early retirements at high pay rates. but, this is something that the state needs to get a handle on and it should not fall on the union to legislate a traditional benefit that compensated for relatively low annual salary rates especially when compared to the biggest of all boondoggles, the educational system staff member.
mr gray misplaces his faith in the council. I am happy to report that both assemblywoman paulin and assemblyman latimore have contacted chuck strome directly and lets see where this takes us.
let me repeat something a few people have mentioned — nothing, repeat nothing is more important to the health and well being of a viable city than its police and fire components. the point of how well led they are, the effectiveness of some of the decisions, and yes, the expense attributable to pensions are signficant issues that have other more appropriate avenues of redress. if patrol patterns or lack of midtown police presence is a problem (and it is), put pressure on city hall to change this. we don’t need new rochelle’s equivalent of a spanish architecture fort apache next to 515 north — we need a 24 hour accessible manned facility on main street. if the methodology used by the fire department (emts and engines,etc on hospital calls is not cost effective or if we need a stronger presence to combat potential high rise threats, again, work the system.
if strome or city hall has placed the board of education and city administration harmless from any cost containment, shame on them and shame on you for not fighting them on this point and for accepting the political excuse that “we don’t conrol the school system.” well, they have a bully pulpit, but they are afraid to make waves.
meanwhile friday marks september 11. i was an employee of tower 2 106th floor until two months before the terror attack when, by the grace of GOD, oour lease expired and we moved. that day, though, found me on federal jury duty and i saw it all. I saw the planes strike, i saw the faces of the young fire and police personnel going to what turned out to be a death sentence. i was a fire warden at the twin towers; this is damn personal to me and it should be for you.
if nita lowey comes across with some funds which is a real possibiity around election time, thank her and no one else at 515 north. george and amy both provided specific information on grants and promises to try to obtain funding. thank them in advance for trying.
i am going to attend the 9.11 memorial ceremony at the armory this friday and you should too.
meanwhile hold fast — not one penny should be asked of our first providers until all other sources, all other sources are exhausted. and, if strome or anyone else is hot and bothered about pension costs and they should be — get off your duffs, form coalitions with peers in lower westchester and press albany for changes. that is the way to do it, not by threatening to withold services of vital importance to voters that could put them at risk.
warren gross
Cost containment
Instead of laying off first responders, why not do what other small cities (and some larger ones) have done?
Keep all police and fire and reduce the work week for city employees by 1 day per week on a rotation basis. Many industries are doing this, too, and it likely will result in more productivity.
Government, in general, is getting too big. Citizens do not need the government to provide every want and need.
Scaling back is trendy now and will be appreciated. Some feel that the less the city does, the better off we will be.
Beyond that, the pension system needs to be addressed. Such a high percentage of the annual budget of so many municipalities funds goes to pensions. The overtime should not be included in the calculations on the final years of service. And the retirement number of years should be increased to reflect the increased life expectancy.
It is a perfect time to renegotiate union contracts, if it is not happening already.
Without overtime to use as a
Without overtime to use as a weapon, Raymund Kiernon the fire dictator, would have no juice. OT is the only way he keeps power over his men. He doles it out in ways to promote strife and controversy, his strong points.
The best thing for the job would be no OT, then it would revert back to the brotherhood it was back in the old days, not the make believe brotherhood of today.
Layoffs
The “threat” of layoffs by Mr. Strome is a 10% (or 65-70 city workers), across the board, for the entire city work force EXCEPT City Hall and BOE employees.
The numbers the author provided are acurate regarding the NRFD.
In theory, the NRPD, which is already down 8 PO’s, would lose as many as 18 Police Officers! According to the 2008 annual report the NRPD issued (and is published here on TOTS somewhere) the NRPD handles appox. 50,000 calls for service a year with approx 180 sworn officers!! 50,000 annually or 137 a day!!
Looking at the numbers, this city CANNOT afford to lose any first responders! The City Manager position, or Mayorial position, should go first!
We can no longer afford the NRFD benefits
The truth is that it is not the salaries that are problem.
[the rest of this comment was deleted due to use of ALL CAPS]
All caps does not make your
All caps does not make your point accurate.
First of all, NRFD/NRPD salaries are below their counterparts across this region.
Secondly, the “raises”, which are negotiated, are usually equal to the inflation rate so nobody is getting rich. Most FF have second and third jobs just to make ends meet.
Thirdly, pensions are taxable as income.
Forth, the “800lb gorilla” is the tax abatements, illegals (schools/healthcare) and supporting the gov’t “handouts” to those who WILL NOT work.
Follow-up to your points
You get raises when people in the private sector are getting fired and reduced paid. You have virtually no risk of losing your job. You need to compare yourself to the private sector as well, and I do not mean the executives with golden parachutes.
Some firemen and police offers work 20 years and collect pensions and health benefits for 40 years.
When you look at compensation you have to consider the entire package. What are inexpensive healthcare benefits and a guaranteed pension worth to you, $20K to $30K? Most people have a 401K without any NYS guarantee or any for that matter. Do you worry about your gold-plated pension? I doubt it. I certainly worry about my 401K being their for me. Forget about healthcare in retirement. Bottomline, alot of people planning to retire will have to put it off.
NYS pensions are subject to Federal income taxes not NYS income taxes. Private sector pensions are exempted from NYS income taxes up to $20K.
Every town in NYS offers abatements because of the high taxes. The only answer for high taxes is smaller government. People, including retired public employees, and companies are leaving this state in droves because of high taxes, fees and tolls.
Duh, people took civil
Duh, people took civil service jobs for security and benefits knowing they would make less money than the private sector. This was the rule for decades and only changed recently, with companies looking overseas to cut costs.
Now you want to take away from civil servants the main reason they took these jobs? You wouldn’t be saying that if you still were making your 6 figure incomes, would ya?
Real danger you faced everyday taking that train into the city, eh? And if the train derailed who do you think was coming to save your sorry butt?
Remain calm
FYI – It used to be that civil servants were paid less than comparable jobs in the private sector (emphasis added – do not compare yourself to a high level manager in the private secto) in exchange for job security and benefits. Fast forward ten years. The civil servant unions by selling block votes to politicians have done a great job equalizing their pay with comparable jobs in the private sector through raises for everyone every year and the step raises that you never mention, as well as, have grown their gold-plated benefits. Another example, compare compensation and benefits of NYS civil employees to that of Federal government employees. Yours are a lot better.
More importantly, lets discuss that six figure salary. Not most people in the private sector do not make 6 figures. If a private sector employee makes more money he has to pay more income taxes (the income tax system is progressive – the nore you make the more you pay). In addition, the private sector employee pays more for healthcare benefits. Here is the big difference you do not appreciate. The private sector employee has to save a lot more money for retirement because he does not have a guaranteed pension. In addition, he or she takes all the investment risk. FYI the majority of private sector employees are not investment managers. And most importantly, the private sector employee is subject to market volatility. In laymen terms, the private sector employee has an uncertain standard of living in retirement. How much is cetainty in retirement worth to you?
My point is this. You must focus on the entire picuture, not just the here and now. More importanly, it is not the amount of income you make, it is what you keep to spend that matters. You may make less while working, but you have the same amount to spend because you pay less income taxes and you really do not have to worry about saving for retirement because your pension and social security benefits will equal about 100% of your pay prior to retirement.
I always tell college gruduates that if you are not going to eventually make more than $150K in a private sector job that you are better off taking a civil servant job because that’s the kind money you will need to offset the lost benefits. I invite a well thought out response.
The Truth………?
The job, that is worked by these Men and Women, are life-endangering jobs. May I ask? Does your job description, carry the same burden everyday you work? Do your family members worry, everyday, that your job calls you to work? The health-care issues, should be a GIVEN! But….it is not! Ones life is in harms way, on weekends, holidays, snow, rain, hurricanes, explosions, building collapses and more. They should receive more than, the average bear! Especially while, YOU SLEEP! I was told, after retirement, they must now pay for their medical coverage. It used to be paid, by the city! Every other community in this state are in the same financial burden. Why is NEW ROCHELLE threatening their Public Safety Personnel? New Rochelle is the only CITY(in Westchester County), with this threat out there. WHY IS THIS? Bad Management from the City of New Rochelle! That is Truly, Plain To SEE!
Follow-up to the Truth
First, no one forced you to take a public safety job. The dangers of these jobs is well known, but New Rochelle is not NYC. It was your decision and there has to be a reason why you took the job. I think you know, just be honest with yourself.
With that said, I believe New Rochelle should make sure that its firemen have all the right equipment to get the job done as safely as possible. However, my blood boils when I hear of firemen retiring in 20 years and working excessive overtime in their last year to stuff their pensions.
Lastly, you have a choice. Leave the safety of your high risk job and take a private sector job. There are risks in the private sector that you do not even consider. For example, there is a profit motive which leads to job losses. No one invests their money to lose money. You would have to give up your worry free pension for a 401k where you would have to make all the investment decisions and if your 401K tanked the year you wanted to retire, too bad. I do not see any state legislator proposing to a bill to prop-up 401Ks and IRAs, but the Comptroller has already said contributions to NYS pensions will skyrocket over the next few years. In addition, in the private sector you do not get step-ups in salary for time served. You have o do more or take on more responsibility. No one ever talks about the steps. You only talk about cost of living increases that everyone you work with gets. In the private sector poor performers get nothing. I doubt all of the public safety workers are top performers. It defies the law of averages.
we are approaching september 11
can any right thinking citizen forget the horror of the day and the selflessness and bravery of our first providers who laid down their lives. if we forget them at this time; a time which doesn’t call for the expenditure of much gray matter in coming up with a solution, then the very essence, the soul, spirit, and value of this rapidly sinking morass we call a community, will continue to fester and rot and truly, we will have gotten the government we deserve.
few people were more supportive of this government than i was a few short years back. yet, over time, i have seen arrogrance, unchecked egocentrism, plain miappropriation of the truth slowly and inexorably turn a city of vast promise into a wasteland — with community set against community, critical thinking a virtue not seen at 515 and a few not so good men and women calling the tune for people of much more quality who desire and deserve to live in a city which is safe, attractive to new residents and has the services needed to capitalize on our considerable advantages.
several years ago i kept pushing the mantra to noam and any who would listen that the establishment of a business plan and policy that would capitalize on new rochelle’s God given advantages would position this city to exit the town and nostalgia syndrome and come boldly and properly into the 21st century. it begain well enough with some warts especially in the area of expertise in cutting developmental deals, but has disintigrated into what we see now — a tale of two cities — one living off the expectations and sacrifices of others; all for the sake of the insufferable arrogance of a few leaders who have neither the skill, will, or spirit to open up their hearts and heads and make things work.
so, we have a disaster scenario — a school district that drains taxes but does not organically grow, total incompetence in oversight and running the district, a lack of transparency in looking for every last available dollar before even thinking about laying off a first provider, an unwillingness to carve out redundancies — the classic is now the either bramson or strome is excess to requirements, tons of available head count funding available on inspection, and God knows what else.
the council has done nothing — mention one that has come forth and challenged any of the aforementioned. don’t hang it only on the northsiders; if we have a calamity it is more likely to happen outside of their purview and safe city or not,tell that to the increasing numbers of victims downtown.
i have asked amy paulin to contact strome and her office did that and he mentioned some unhelpful and not very creative ways to address the issue. he says that the COPS grant was turned down (no reason given) and that he was hesitant to apply for any other as it would require city to maintain positions on payroll — well duh, that is the very point of stimulus funds meant to save or create jobs. it gives you wiggle room and most grants, all grants actually have an expiration date and must be reapplied for. so, more verbal nonsense. what is likely happening is the annual “where’s nita” move around election time. money will likely materialize and the credit will, as always be misplaced.
the blog writer had his facts correct. this is a city possessing few planning skills. the only problem i have with blogs is we bring up the past; the past may be prologue, so lets look at it squarely and say
1.no layoff of any first provider is acceptable period. i am calling for a community response and march to city hall if that materializes.
2. no relection of any city councilperson or administration person who does not publically come up in support of the first provider and does so in a public forum visible to voters. this means you especially st paul as you received the backing of the smokeeaters union at last election.
3. complete and total transparency of the budget process identifying other non essential service staff that could be laid off.
4. taxing the school district for services rendered in lieu of the district not reopening up FUSE and other contracts to provide substantive financial relief to the city to allow it to make plan.
5. an indepth report on all “drawing board” or other projects in planning stage indicating what it would cost us to extracate from the stranglehold of poorly negotiatted deals and how we may approach that. Forest City is the one in most question. Strome has been quoted as saying we would not see any financial relief from this effort. if that is so, he needs to resign.
6. finally grow,not shrink the first provider. why the hell does a city of over 70,000 folks have one precinct at city hall. build or lease some presence on main street. if carroll is too stubborn to see the advantages beyond a patrolling point of view, he ought to go to.
maybe we can use jim killoran’s september 11 memorial as a forum for community change.
warren gross
It is amazing that the City
It is amazing that the City considers the Fire Department as a Mathematical Equation when trying to ballance a budget that needs ballancing because they did not have the foresight when they were handing out PILOTS to Avalon 1/2 ect. I blame economics partly for the City’s problems but the overwhelming blame must be put on the mayor and Council Members who supported this development no matter the impact on the City and its services. They employed consultants who were possibly skewing the results to fit their goals and now we see reality taking shape day by day. I personally posed the question of fire fighter manning and fire fighter equiptment during heated Council Meetings and I asked the Commisioner and his personel flat out ” Do we have the Manpower and the Equipment to fight fires in 39 story towers”.
I guess they were eager to grow their department because they said yes overwhelmingly. Now we see its is now used as a bargaining tool or as a means for crying foul.
Here is what citizens wants.
We want to know we are safe and protected by our City firstly. Next we want to know that the Tax Burden is being shared by all not just homeowners.
Thirdly we want to know that the City is acting responsibly in the above. From what I have seen I think Chuck Strome owns a good deal of this problem for supporting Bramson without fighting for what might come because what might come is here.
We now are paying handsomely for services for 3 buildings very tall very large with less money in the coffers to service them due to the Stupidity of 1 Mayor and 3 Councilmembers and a City Manager who rolled the dice without any thought of what could come along with it. And we all get what we deserve by not demanding we be treated better. When you factor in that the consultants are political supporters of the Mayor you can firmly understand we have been played for fools. I say Mr. Mayor and your 3 Councilmembers and Chuck Strome go get the money you need from Avalon and Cappelli to staff your Fire Stations, you already have done this by accepting gifts of free Harbor Shanty’s just continue down the same unethical road. To the Fire Department Brass you layed down with Dogs now get a flea collar!
New Rochelle FireFighters Layoff for 2010
As a New Rochelle resident for over 1/2 century, (sounds ancient I know, but it is the new 40!) I feel an urge to expel my intestinal fortitude as simply saying: DO NOT LAYOFF ANY POLICE OR FIREFIGHTERS IN THIS CITY! New Rochelle is no longer that quaint little town it once was many many years ago – it is a BIG CITY WITH BIG NEEDS! Here is what the high ranking officials sitting in City Hall should consider – PAY CUTS ALL AROUND FOR CITY OFFICIALS!!! Look around people, the middle class is suffering. The middle class always shoulders the burden in keeping everyone’s head above water. After all, the middle class had no voice when City officials were brainstorming with the developers in constructing those monstrous buildings that now sit idly vacant. Major faux pas my friends, terribly miscalculated.
The first one who needs to
The first one who needs to go from the FD should be the Commissioner. Here’s why. He gets some 140K a year for doing nothing. Everyone on the job knows Capt Nechis has run the job for years, even when he was a Lieutenant, making half the money the head of dept makes. The Capt writes the grants for Federal funds, makes equipment purchases, and damn near knows all aspects of the job better than anyone, especially the Commissioner. Without Nechis the Dept would be still riding horse driven rigs to the fires.
Force the do-nothing Commish out(he is over the retirement age but got one of those “special” exemptions to keep going), you get 4 new firefighters at no cost. A win-win, 4 young strong men for a figurehead who’s got everyone conned.
Not yet
He can’t leave yet he still has more guys to get even with. Anyone that ever questioned his authority or challenged one of his one sided antiquated ways and refused to kiss the ring is made to pay. Plus why leave every one in City Hall thinks he’s the greatest, can’t balance a budget but what the heck, it’s only Doc. Plus free gas.
Who’s doc? Is that the sorry
Who’s doc? Is that the sorry looking guy who struggles to climb those 10 steps to get into the rear of City Hall at around 8:45 am every morning? I though FF’s were supposed to be in shape?
NRFD and NRPD personnel make
NRFD and NRPD personnel make much less than counterparts in almost all of Westchester except My Vernon. Even dept’s such as Larchmont, Scarsdale, Rye and Town of Mamaroneck make tens of thousands more yearly. Can anyone equate the workload in New Ro with these municipalities? New Ro goes on more calls in 1 week than Larchmont does in a whole year.
Bozo the Clown, aka the fire
Bozo the Clown, aka the fire commish, is a disgrace. Stabs his men in the back, while claiming to be their buddy. Ask anyone at City Hall, privately of course, how he speaks ill of his brave men as soon as they leave his office. What a joke.
He actually thinks we’re not wise to his act?
nice to be anonymous
for all you people out there hiding behind your computer taking shots at the fire commissioner, SIGN YOUR NAME, you are so proud of your opinion!!
Where’s “doc” kiernone in
Where’s “doc” kiernone in all of this? Does he want to be the boss of s banana republic fire dept?
How come he’s not sticking up for his members?
Could it be because he has no clue? Is he just there for a paycheck? After all, everyone knows Barry Nechis runs the Fire Dept. Kiernone has the public fooled, his lips move he’s lying.
Now inaddition to not supporting his workers, he’s actually trying to screw the retirees as well, by taking away the medical benefits of injured in the line of duty firefighters.Dozens of medically retired members are being cast aside by the dept. A travesty, but not unexpected.
even Norman Hauptman was better liked than the commish.
Some want police and ff
Some want police and ff benefits “reduced to the private sector”??????????? Like what, Walmart, or the CEO’s of AIG?
This is crazy
Now he’s after the guys that got injured in the line of duty doing their job and making him look good all these years? How desperite. Nice legacy, sad, but hey to be expected. His inability to control his spending over the years has him scraping bottom now in order to show some financial responsibility, heck he spent his budget like a drunken sailor for the last 20 plus years. He’s so desperate now he’s put the screws to his old dc and cpt pals who he worked very closely with at hq, even responded to ground zero with them. Cpt Nechis watch your back. Good looking out doc. No problem with fixing a system that’s broken but to take it out on injured men, who truely are injured, with very little resources to fight back is a new low. Wait until this sinks in with the men, less aggressive firefighting to be sure and who could blame them. Why get hurt only to be kicked in the teeth when you’re down. The ills and suffering of these men must surely keep you awake at night and as for the guys that are still here let us see you stand up for them.
The 800 lb gorilla is all
The 800 lb gorilla is all the people who take benefits without giving anything in return, not the cops and firemen who risk their lives every day they go to work. In this State, you have welfare scammers who’ve never even worked or want to work, THOSE are the ones that are going to bring this Nation down.They get money, medical and retirement. I heard the other day that there are 139 million people working in this country, that means 161 million who do not work. Do the math, this is unsustainable, more not working than are working. No wonder the gov’t is taking some 60-70% of the working mans income via income tax, sales tax, tax on interest and dividends, various fees(taxes), etc. How long before the workers get smart and quit working themselves?
To blame firemen and cops for bankrupting this Nation is being ignorant of the facts.
All this construction,
All this construction, including the skyscrapers downtown and the City wants to cut firefighters?
Grow some balls Raymund and stick up for the men you claim to lead. How come you’re not fighting for MORE manpower, not less? Even a probie FF knows those tall buildings require labor intensive work to get the job done, doesn’t the fire commissioner? Why is he silent? The job is turning into a 2nd rate Dept. The fish stinks from the head. Continue greasing your lackies with OT, commish, you’re a fraud.
firefighters
Firing firefighters will also cause another increase. Our rank will go down and our insurance rates will increase. Why would anyone want to pay more for less. The cuts are due to mis-management. start with cutting the mayor. Work your way down until you can afford to keep the saftey levels that we need.
Go back to bed
Your personal gripe with the chief is obvious. He was running the dept probably before you were born. Don’t listen to all the union garbage, it’ll just make you think negatively about everything.
Byron Gray is doing a great
Byron Gray is doing a great job as Union President under difficult circumstances. As he points out, the City never saves for a rainy day, they spend more than they have. When times were booming, didn’t it occur to the brainiacs at 515 to squirrel away some funds for the inevitable downturn?
I agree with the previous comments about the Commissioner retiring, it’s the right thing to do. He’s out of touch with the rank and file firefighters.As mentioned 4 new FF’s could be hired by eliminating his position.The City needs to put the FD and PD under a “safety officer” in charge of both Dept’s, thereby immediately saving the City some 250G’s in salary, benefits and pension contributions.
Fire and Police killed the golden goose
Its interesting to hear the outrage from citizens and forecast of doom from employees under threat of layoff, without any mention of the incredible costs associated with pensions that sap municipalities the needed revenue to support salaries of those affected.
guaranteeing 95% of a person’s last years salary at age 55, allowing the the bundling of unused vacation into the last year’s pay, coupled with pay that far exceeds what is reflected in the demand for the job, has created an unsustainable depletion of city finances. If left to the Police and Fire Unions, the City will be forced into bankruptcy.
?
The city does not pay unused sick and vacation to NRPD retirees. 95%? Where did you come up with that number? I believe the pension is 50% of the avg salary during the last 3 years.
The untold story
Why haven’t the firefighters made public the concessions they requested in return for a salary increase deferral? It’s because they want free health benefits for retirees which they lost in the last contract negotiations that an arbitrator [independent mediator] ruled they weren’t entitled to. The firefighters claim the deferral will save the city $1.2 million but truth be known, if they are successful in getting health benefit coverage for retirees back it will far exceed the city savings in 3 years and continue to grow ten fold increasing city taxes in perpetuity. While my hat’s off to the firefighters they should take notice of the sweet concessions they currently have like a 24 hour shift. They work for 24 hours then get 3-4 days off. Then there are minnies [mini-vacations] where they get 7-10 days off. They work hard for every penny they earn but most have businesses or second day jobs since going to the 24-hour shift schedule which was a concession from the city. There are a considerable number of firefighters who live in other communities and states which is not allowed.
All-in-all the firefighters are using this pre-emptive propaganda in an attempt to regain what an arbitrator took away. Right now there is no budget so talk of layoffs is fear mongering. By the way, we are currently short 8 firefighters from the hiring freeze which no one noticed until this subversive campaign. No one has noticed or complained about extended response times or failure to respond so does that mean we don’t need those 8 positions? Everyone must feel some pain in these trying times, if a 10% reduction in EVERY department is necessary so be it. I will state emphatically that the position of city clerk should not be filled for various reasons the most significant being the office is running smoothly and this position is a politically appointed position. If we as a community and nation are going to get through this recession everyone must suck it up and share the pain as president Obama has stated.
How misinformed you are
Let start with services-New Rochelle residents receive Police, Fire, and Department of Public Works (garbage & snow removal) for approximately 16% of their tax bill. If a resident pays approx 10,000 annually it would cost them $1,600 a year to receive those services. That is a bargain! Now let’s speak specifically about the Fire Department. In the event there is an emergency, the FD will respond and mitigate the problem. Let’s say you never use the services the Fire Department provides-just having a quality, well-trained department within the city you save upwards of 60% on your residential home insurance premium. If the entire department didn’t exist, your premium would substantially increase far more than you are paying in taxes for Fire Department service. So not only do you have a quality Fire Department that you can depend on, residents and businesses save money on insurance premiums.
Regarding pensions, retired members get 50% of their last year, Not 95%…Oh and on average they get to draw from their pension 10 yrs less than an average person because over time while they were employed they were exposed to toxic chemicals and other stresses that had an adverse affect on their life span.
It’s amazing that after 911 FD members were heroes and now because of a couple Private-Sector people lost their jobs the FD now becomes a focus. It’s truly amazing! Understand that the state of the economy that we are in was caused by the PRIVATE SECTOR, not by the police, firefighters, and garbage men that come to work everyday, that are limited as to how much they can make, and may have to put their life on the line for someone they don’t even know. Were is the out cry for the billions stolen by private-sector people, CEO’s and bankers that implemented predatory lending practices that siphoned billions from retirees retirement accounts…The focus is misguided and misdirected.
Police, Fire, and DPW deserve what they earn, they work hard for what they earn, and they deserve a pension for their commitment.
Broaden your perspective
I do not want you to breathe in toxins. This sounds like an equipment issue. I am all for the best equipment for the firemen. At the sametime, your occupation is not the only one that exposes its workers to toxins. My father was a cabinet maker and he was exposed to toxins from varnish, stains, and saw dust from fire repellant wood. Lastly, you have a choice. You can take a job in the private sector.
What is the average life expectancy of a retired New Rochelle Fireman? Is there any medical proof that pre-mature death of New Rochelle Fireman is caused by inhaling toxins from fires?
It is much more than a couple private sector people who have lost their jobs. I am amazed how you can trivialize job losses in the private sector when you have gold-plated job security. You should read the newspaper.
I do not support the bailout of the financial services sector. The reality is that politicians get the money from Wall Street for special favors and the block votes from the unions in exchange for increased compensation and benefits.
Yes. Police work hard patroling in their cars. The DPW gets to go home early when they finish their routes early, and I always see the firemen hanging out in front of their fire houses.
Bottomline: The ever increasing income and property taxes, fees and tolls are tied to gold-plated compensation and benefits of a bloated NY state and local governments. We, the private sector residents,are tired of paying for your level of benefits that we do not have.
Golden Goose needs to lose some weight
I am glad to see that NR Fire and Police are not fooling everyone. Similar to the teachers union who use the children as a shield to get what they want, Fire and Police hide behind the shield of the public’s safety.
I don’t want to fire anyone, and we do not have to fire anyone, as long as, their benefits are lowered to the level of the private sector. The party of the past decade is over.
If they do not like it, they are more than welcome to leave the safety of their muscle firehouses for a private sector job. Where timed served is not relevant.
The City should look to cut “FAT” in City Hall
The personnel dept: has 3 women doing the job that one competent person could do. If you’ve ever had the displeasure of having to deal with them you’ll know what I’m talking about. Every other dept has multiple people doing nothing all day. Look within before you look to scare the citizens with police and fire layoffs. It’s and old tactic but unfortunaltely it works.