Wrong Ideas, Wrong Cuts

“The items that could easily be cut out of the bloated, fat, obese 

middlebury budget are:”

How can the budget be characterized as bloated, fat, and obese when it has been cut by 2.3%.  That means it is 2.3% less than what Mr. St. John’s budget was last year.

Why is Tom Gormley taking the heat for actually cutting the Town side of the budget?  All increases come from the Region 15 side. 

"80 grand payment for fire engine.--- Fire Dept has 800 thousand 

in its treasury. Let them buy most of the engine."

The 800,000.00 only exists in Mr. DeAngelis’s mind. 

Mr. DeAngelis must not think that fire protection is very important.  NFPA recomends that fire apparatus be replaced every 20 years.  MVFD now has 4 pieces of apparatus over 20 years old, and a 5th to turn 20 in 3 years.

$80,000 is nothing compared to what this Town will have to face down the road if they do not start acting now.

Mr. St. John has delayed apparatus replacement since 2003. It can not be delayed any longer.

"Spare fuel tank. ---Use the one at public works like we always did."

Mr. DeAngelis still does not have this correct.  It is a new tank that will provide Fire Headquarters with regular heating oil.  For years the MVFD has been heated with Premium Diesel fuel, that was meant for Fire Engines.  Now it will get the cheaper, regular heating oil that you and I use.  The cost savings to the Town - approximately $4500.00 per year at current prices.  The tank will pay for itself in less than 3 years.

"Communications--- Stop paying Northwest and let the town 

dispatchers do the work."

Communications were outsourced by Mr. St. John, not by Rickey Bona nor the MVFD.  

The State requires EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch),  when you call 911 with a medical problem.  By State law the dispatcher must stay on the line with you, and follow a set protocol.  If there is only one dispatcher at HQ, who will dispatch the MVFD?  Who will be able to coordinate and assist PD who are the First Responders? What if there is another 911 call?  Who will handle it, if the dispatcher is already on the line with another 911? No one, because it is mandated by the State that the dispatcher must stay on the phone.

So how is it handled now?  You call 911 and you get Middlebury HQ.  The call is immediately patched to Northwest C-Med who will EMD the call.  The Middlebury Dispatcher is now free to hit the quick tone which will immediately start the entire ball rolling.  The Police and MVFD will be alerted about the call immediately. 

Calls are being dispatched faster now then they used to.  Before Northwest and EMD, calls coming into Middlebury would be delayed being dispatched, because the dispatcher had to stay on the phone and collect information about the call before toning it out.  Patching calls to Northwest actually speeds up the process.

So why not bring it back and save the money being paid to Northwest C-Med.  Go ahead and bring it back, but it will have to be done correctly.  Does Middlebury want to hire new dispatchers so that there are two dispatchers at HQ at all times?  How much would that cost?  A lot more than what is being paid to Northwest.

Is there another alternative?  Maybe, but it has to be explored.  But just dropping Northwest and blindly bringing it back to Middlebury would be a big mistake.  The level of service our residents would receive would suffer.  

Bottom line, bring dispatch back to Middlebury, only if it will be done correctly and satisfy the EMD mandates of the State of Connecticut.

"Ambulance---Why are we paying 45 grand when the private 

company that runs the service makes between 50 and a hundred 

grand profit a year?"

Wild numbers from someone who does not know what he is talking about.  As stated countless times, all money collected by the Ambulance Billing system goes right back into the ambulance. It pays for all supplies, materials, maintenance, and repairs. The PD is supplied with MVFD oxygen. The MVFD pays $80,000 in annual ALS services that the Town is mandated to pay, but the MVFD picks up the tab. Almost $200,000 has already been spent to purchase a new ambulance and equipment. (Part of Mr. DeAngelis’s $800.000.)  That is money that will never have to come out of the taxpayer’s pockets.

The Town kicks in fuel and insurance and is getting the bargain of a lifetime. Anything left over at the end of the year that does not go into maintaining FD11 and FD12 goes to an Ambulance replacement fund, so when the MVFD needs to purchase a new car, once again the taxpayers will not have to pay one cent towards it.

All Mr. DeAngelis's And St. John's Lawyers

“At  least four attorneys will be present on August 7 because someone asked to see financial books of a town department? Why?   

You know, that's a good question. Actually its an"expensive" question because why should you the taxpayer pay attorney fees  so that a town official can say NO to a request of a taxpayer to see how public money is being spent. Why doesn't the town official simply "open" the books for inspection? Even more importantly why doesn't Mr. Gormley, the First Selectman , take a stand on this issue? In fact why doesn't he take a stand on removing pictures from town buildings, etc.  In fact it is difficult to find where Mr. Gormley has taken a stand on anything. If nothing is "wrong" , why hide the books?”

Where did all these lawyers come from?  The MVFD only has one, and not one dime of taxpayer money is being used to pay her.  

I think Mr. DeAngelis will be standing there by himself on August 7th, because no FOI hearing is scheduled until at least September.

Mr. DeAngelis is trying to seek information about funds that are not public money.  If Mr. DeAngelis and Mr. St. John will be bringing an army of lawyers it will no doubt be an attempt to get around the FOI law.  The MVFD is following FOI law to the letter, and the MVFD lawyer is there to protect the interests of this organization.

All public funds are paid by Town Hall and all records are available to all who would like to see them, at Town Hall.  MVFD Inc. funds are not taxpayer money and therefore Mr. DeAngelis is not entitled to see them.  Please refer to this link.

As for the picture.  The picture was not MVFD property.  It was not paid for by the MVFD, nor was it paid for by the Taxpayers.  The property is no longer in the possession of the MVFD, but rather has been safely returned to its rightful owner.

If Tom Gormley is not a concert organizer, he is certainly not a interior decorator.  The problems that face Middlebury are a little more important than whose picture hangs on the wall of Fire HQ.

Passing a budget, resolving the missing $900,000, controlling the school budget, replacing antiquated fire apparatus, and providing high band radios to the PD are just a bit more important.

Tanglewood Comes To Middlebury?

“Gormley too "busy" to appoint volunteer cultural committee

        You know, it's getting harder and harder to write OMP because the actions of the local politicians are dumber than even the satire we intend.

           For example, 6 or 7 Middlebury citizens have formed an ad hoc cultural committee. Now I know that "culture" in Middlebury comes out of the end of a fire hose or police exhaust pipe but SOME  people in this town actually like music, art, literature , etc. As we said some citizens have told Mr. Gormley that they would  work FREE OF CHARGE AND THAT THEY WOULD SOLICIT CONTRIBUTIONS FO CONCERTS, ETC.in order to bring some cultural events to this miserable hamlet.

          All Gormley had to do was officially recognize the group. Big deal. Gormley refused saying, " I am too busy with the budget." Now we assume he meant the Middlebury budget. The budget is finished for this go around, all Gormley has to do is move it to a referendum. What the hell is so "busy" about that?”

If you want a cultural committee, you certainly do not need Tom Gormley, nor the Town of Middlebury.  It is typical liberal thinking.  You can’t do anything on your own unless it involves some sort of government connection, if not eventual funding.

The best cultural venues in the world are not public, but rather private. The Boston Symphony Orchestra does not run to the First Selectman in Lenox Massachusetts when they play Copland’s Symphony #3 at Tanglewood.

I don’t see why you need any intervention from Town government outside granting you the permits to allow performances. It is not government’s role to entertain the public.  Its their role to protect the public.  That includes providing police and fire protection, and keeping the lines of transportation open so police and fire can operate. And because Mr. Gormley is more concerned about those critical elements of our Town and too busy to bestow blessings on your 6 member group, he is somehow characterized as dumb. Now how dumb is that?

Why would Tom Gormley need to appoint anyone?  Why would it be his role to do something like that?  Is that what we pay a First Selectman to do... be a concert organizer?  Why should the Town get involved with something that should be private, and would probably run a lot better if it was private? Do we want to continually grow government to include scores of new committees that are not necessary when private avenues would be more effective?  No we don’t.

If you think Middlebury residents are so culturally empty and deprived that they want to attend your free concerts, then do it yourself. You don’t need Tom Gormley nor the Town of Middlebury. 

Save 2 Grand - Two Questions For The Price Of One

“Actually he is pushing for his own department despite the 

warnings of the First Selectman that "they need to get a budget passed, 

first".  But then again what's a first selectman to a self styled "chief"? He 

keeps pushing while Gormley keeps ducking issues.”

There are no warnings from the First Selectman.  The MVFD and the First Selectman are working very well together and have an open communication.  Unlike the previous administration Mr. Gormley keeps the lines of communications open.

It looks like there will be an Engine question on the next ballot.  It costs approximately $2000 to have a referendum.  Why spend $2000.00 on the next budget referendum, and then spend another $2000.00 on the Engine referendum.  It does not make a lot of sense to separate them.

Despite what Mr. DeAngelis will tell you, the MVFD fleet is rapidly aging.  It has 4 pieces of apparatus over the age of 20 years old. In 3 years Engine 1 will be over 20 years old as well.  You can’t delay apparatus replacement forever or you will end up like Monroe which is facing bonding 6 pieces of fire apparatus.

None of this would have been necessary, if former First Selectman Ed St. John did not trade apparatus replacement for political retribution. The Town was on-target to replace Engine 2, Engine 4, and Rescue 1 back in 2003. These pieces would have already been replaced.  Now taxpayers in Middlebury will pay higher prices for new fire apparatus.

Tom Gormley Cuts Spending In Middlebury By 2.3%

Tom Gormley Cuts Spending By 2.3%

Middlebury Taxpayers have to contend with two budgets.  The first and most expensive budget is the Region 15 one.  That budget went to referendum twice.  On the second vote it passed.  But, it was not passed by Middlebury residents.  As soon as Southbury voted it through, it was all over for Middlebury.  We were out of the loop, at least until next time.

The second budget is the municipal budget.  That is the budget that pays for Town services, such as the Library, PD, FD, and PW.  That budget went to referendum two times as well, and was voted down for the second time.

The BOF and the BOS have met with department heads and made quite a few cuts.  The result is that there is a budget increase of approximately 6% on the Region 15 side. What residents have to realize is that there is absolutely 0% increase on the Town side of the budget.  All the increases have come from the Region 15 side, in which we have no control over, since Southbury voted it through.  

The most important thing to remember here is that on the Town side there not only is a 0% increase in spending, but the BOF and BOS have cut spending by $828,214.00.  The budget is smaller than it was under Mr. St. John’s administration.  When you equate the $828,214.00 to the entire Town Municipal budget there is a 2.3% cut in taxes.  The budget is MINUS 2.3%.  This means that Middlebury, (if the next budget passes) will be operating with 2.3% less money than it did last year.

This notion that there is some wild spending going on in Town is just not true. Any increase in taxes this year will come strictly from the Region 15 side.  Mr. Gormley and the BOF do not set up that budget.  The only way to control it is to vote no, but when Southbury outvotes you there is nothing Middlebury can do to change the outcome.

The school budget goes up every year.  Is Middlebury going to continue to cut municipal funds for the sake of offsetting the Region 15 budget? We will be plowing the roads with pickup trucks.

On top of the increase in Region 15, there was $700,000 in lost revenue because of the economy.  $103,000 in lost interest because of a bad stock market. Don’t forget about Washington Dr. $928,214.00 lost from Mr. St. John’s project.  In addition the $650,000 from the rainy day fund could have come in handy this year, if it was not for Ms. Bollard insisting it be spent in 2005.  

When you look at the big picture, Tom  Gormley has done a great job in handling what he has inherited.  Even with the bad economy, even with no rainy day fund, even with $700,000 in lost revenue and the bad $928,000.00 Washington Dr. deal, he has managed to cut $828,214.00 off this next budget. He has made the budget minus 2.3%.

Tom Gormley should be commended for the fine job he has done trying to control spending.  No one likes paying higher taxes, but where Middlebury should be fighting, is not with the municipal budget but rather the Region 15 budget.  The community must work together to examine their spending, and find areas where cuts can be made.  

We should support Tom Gormley and support this next budget, in order to keep the high standards and services enjoyed by our community.  There is a one year old little girl who is alive today because of the heroism of our fine Police Department.  Their quick response was a matter of life and death.  Can you imagine what may happen if we start making cuts to our police and fire? 

Support Tom Gormley and the next budget. Lets take the fight to Region 15 next time around, and protect Middlebury’s interests.

Gets It Wrong On FD Fuel Tank

“In fact why do we need to spend $ 11,000.00 for a fuel tank at the 

firehouse when for the last 20 years they have filled up at the tank at 

public works?”

Mr. DeAngelis gets it wrong again. The engines do not fill up at the Town Yard, but rather from an existing fuel tank at Fire HQ. It has nothing to do where the engines fill up. 

The Town will be paying $11,000 to install a fuel tank at the firehouse.  Why?  Did you know that the Firehouse is heated not with home heating oil but rather premium diesel oil.  The same high-quality diesel, formulated to power fire apparatus is being wasted heating the building. With the new tank the building will then be heated with home heating oil as it should be.

The installation of a new tank will save the taxpayers approximately $4,500 a year at the current price of the fuel.  The tank will pay for itself in less than three years, and the Town will then realize a savings thereafter.

Too Many Lawyers

    Tom Gormley said that they " can't control legal costs"

      Sure they can. Was there a need to hire Savarese, Lionhardt, 

et. al when all Perrotti had to do was follow the law? Well, was 

there? Of course not, Gormley should have ordered the dept 

head to follow the law just as he should have ordered him to stop 

taking pictures down from public buildings. Maybe there is some 

testosterone available at the health dept.

There would not be a Fire Department lawyer at all if it was not for Mr. St. John.  The lawyer was hired because Mr. St. John questioned whether or not the MVFD Ambulance and personnel had insurance and who was responsible for it. 

The MVFD lawyer is not paid out of taxpayer money, but the lawyers Mr. St. John hired sure were.  How much did that all cost the taxpayer?

What about the $80,000 in legal costs associated with Mr. DeAngelis’s Straw Pond?  I guess spending taxpayer money on lawyers is only acceptable if it concerns Straw Pond.

As far as the FOIs, the MVFD has followed the law to the letter, but Mr. St. John and Mr. DeAngelis are apparently not interested in what the law really says.  They keep following the same old political agenda.

Tom Gormley Cuts The Municipal Budget By $828,214.00

FINANCE BOARD STILL DOESN'T GET IT. THEY WANT TO RAISE YOUR TAXES BY 7%

Apparently Mr. DeAngelis does not get it.  He keeps claiming that taxes will go up 7%.  Where are all those increases Mr. DeAngelis?  Are they on the Town municipal budget?  NO!  They are all on the Region 15 side of the budget. The Region 15 budget has already been passed by the voters, and there is nothing Tom Gormley or the BOF can do about it at this point.  Are we to strip our Town down to nothing every time there are Region 15 increases?

The Town side of the budget has been actually cut by $828,214.00.  That’s $828,214.00 less than Mr. St. John’s budget.  Tom Gormley is cutting the budget and slowing the increase in taxes.

I suppose it is Tom Gormley’s fault that the Town has lost $700,000.00 in revenues this year because of the economy. Its Tom’s fault the Town has lost $103,000.00 in interest.  Apparently, Mr. DeAngelis believes that Tom Gormley controls the Stock Markets.

Is it also Tom Gormley’s fault that the Town is short $928,000.00 from Mr. St. John’s Washington Dr. project?

Tom Gormley inherited this mess from Mr. St. John and is doing his best to turn it around.  There are new projects for saving money in the works, but things are going to take some time.

Mr. DeAngelis has contributed to the problem as well, by wasting $20,000 of taxpayer money with his frivolous FOIs.

Last, do people know that Tom Gormley is actually being paid $8000 less than what Mr. St. John was paid.  Mr. DeAngelis incorrectly reported on his website that Tom gave himself a raise, when in reality he received a $8000.00 pay cut.

Wrong About Public Safety

This has to take the cake on inane posts from the Money Pit.  It appears to be just another example of Mr. St. John using Mr. DeAngelis to push his idea of a Public Safety Commission and another effort to resurrect his now defunct Fire Commission, which was soundly rejected by the voters in an almost two to one vote last November.

“The religious problem is the “trinity” theory of public safety in 

Middlebury.

 To wit, Mr. Gormely will growl about “not compromising “public 

safety” but on the other hand, in the real world he and the 

finance board do nothing but split the problem among three or 

more departments thereby trebling the costs and  the problems.”

First you have to assume that there is a problem, which there is not.  There is no finer Police Department anywhere than the one we have in Middlebury.  The service from this great organization is unmatched by any community.  I think they punctuated that today when they performed successful CPR on a one year old and saved the child’s life. They are truly “Middlebury’s Finest.”  The last thing they need is Mr. St. John’s Public Safety commission.

Same for the MVFD.  The members have faithfully served the community since 1941. The Department has acted independently, and has been isolated from the whims of politicians. It is run efficiently and even with a slashed budget for the last two years still upholds its high standards and service to the community. 

The failed Fire Commission was the poster child of bureaucracy and illustrated what politics can do to damage a Town.  The delay in apparatus replacement, will now cost the Taxpayers thousands of dollars more than it should because of Mr. St. John and his Fire Commission. 

Second, it is assumed by Mr. DeAngelis that it is Tom Gormley who created this Town.  The Town is operating the same way with the Police and Fire as separate agencies since their inception.  That includes the 24 years Mr. St. John was at the helm. 

Mr. St. John who said it would take at least one term for Tom Gormley to get the feel for the job, now appears to be undermining him behind the scenes and using Mr. DeAngelis to continue is crusade of hate against the MVFD and Tom Gormley.

Having public safety split among a fire dept with a separate

bureaucracy and a police dept with a separate bureaucracy and a 

public works dept. Etc.,etc. is JUST TOO COSTLY AND "SMALL 

TOWN".  We need to consolidate into a cost effective town unit.

Absolute rubbish. How is it too costly? Do you want the Police to be responding to calls in Fire Engines? You do not seem to have an understanding of what the word bureaucracy really means. 

Definition:

1.government by many bureaus, administrators, and petty officials.

2.the body of officials and administrators, esp. of a government or government department.

3.excessive multiplication of, and concentration of power in, administrative bureaus or administrators.

4.administration characterized by excessive red tape and routine

What you are doing is promoting bureaucracy.  The Fire Commission was a perfect example of an ineffective bureaucracy that did nothing to improve the MVFD.  In fact, because of their inactions about apparatus replacement the taxpayer will now have to pay more for apparatus replacement. Bureaucracy does not save the Taxpayer money Mr. DeAngelis.  It wastes it. Let those who actually do the work run their own departments. The more administrators the more waste of both time and money. You need less administrators and more people doing the actual work.

“They’re all under one roof, right? They’re all coordinated by one 

committee or person , right?”

No, they are not all under one roof, and they should not be.  They run independently from each other as they should.  Mr. DeAngelis seems to want to create models used by the old Soviet Union. The government tried to control and micromanage everything.   It  did not work for them, and it certainly will not work for Middlebury.

“I mean we wouldn't be so careless as to  have the four of them with

separate budgets and divisions and structures, right?”

All your assumptions are incorrect and you expect your readers to assume that they are correct.  Agencies that act independently should be independent.   Again, its like the Soviet Union telling the farmers how much corn to grow.  You are suggesting the same.

“perfect example of what a lack of consolidation does in a 

negative fashion would be the Dayton proposal that states ( 

correctly ) drivers involved in accidents on 84 and who receive 

assistance from Middlebury  get billed for Middlebury fire 

services.”

Since the MVFD does not bill accident victims and will not be billing victims of I-84 accidents, your hypothetical example is meaningless.

“This is the PROBLEM. There is never any long range planning in this 

government.  We can't continue to spread public safety over three or four 

uncordinated departments. Look at the American economy, those days of 

waste and silly ass competition among departments on a local, state and 

federal lever are OVER.

We need a Public Safety Commission that handles ALL the issues of 

Public Safety in Middlebury.”

Straight out of the mouth of Mr. St. John and his quest for a Fire Commission to punish the MVFD. 

No long range planing?  How would Mr. DeAngelis know?  The MVFD has submitted a 5 year plan to the BOS every year.  It is up to the Selectman to act on it.  Mr. St. John and Ms. Strobel sat on their hands since 2003 regarding fire apparatus replacement.

The Police save of an infant today justifies why we spend what we do on our Police and Fire Departments.  Saving the life of a child does not have a price tag. 

The losers in this will be the taxpayers. A public safety commission would be about the worse thing the Town could do.  You don’t grow government Mr. DeAngelis you shrink it.  Read the definition of bureaucracy again.  That is what a public safety commission would be.  The MVFD has shown that the Fire Commission was a disaster for Middlebury.  The voters agreed. Those who don’t learn from history are destined to repeat it.

Foreshadowing Of Things To Come?

The town of Monroe is looking into borrowing $6 million with over $3 million going to be spent for replacing 6 pieces of old and outdated fire apparatus.  Sound familiar?  That is what is coming down the pike in Middlebury.  Currently, Middlebury has 4 pieces of apparatus over the age of 20 years.  

Engine 3  20 years old

Engine 4  21 years old 

Engine 2  27 years old

Rescue 1  30 years old

Engine 1 will be 20 years old in 3 years.  

The result will be higher taxes for all residents in Middlebury, including firefighters.  This all could have been avoided if Mr. St. John had kept his word back in 2003 when he proposed his “global plan” of replacing 3 pieces of fire apparatus. But instead, he let politics get in the way of public safety by blaming the MVFD for his Ph.D. woes when the Department was FOIed by Mr. DeAngelis.

In 2006 the Department appeared before the Selectmen with a “white paper”, proposing that a plan should be made to replace Engine 2 and Rescue 1. The white paper urged the BOS to make a decision before July 1st 2006, in order for the Town to save thousands of dollars in new emission standards as well as regular price increases.  

Instead of acting in the best interest of the Town and the Taxpayers, Mr. St. John and Ms. Strobel tried to punish the MVFD for not supporting them during the 2005 elections.  Unless you were politically aligned with Mr. St. John you apparently became his enemy.

Instead of voting to protect Middlebury residents Mr. St. John and Ms. Strobel voted to form a Fire Commission to look into apparatus replacement, and make a recommendation to the BOS.  

This was a stall technique that worked like a charm.  By the time the Fire Commission was disbanded in the Spring of 2008, they still had not made a solid recommendation to the BOS, even though they had promised one to the MVFD by September of 2006.

It was an exercise in futility as the MVFD had to stand by, fending off constant attacks from Mr. St. John’s office against the 67 year old organization.  

The end result is that the Town has old apparatus that will need to be replaced at prices much higher than they were in 2003. The taxpayers will have to pick up the tab, because of Mr. St. John’s vindictiveness.

This all could have been avoided.  If Mr. St. John had acted on his “global plan.” The Town would have only 1 piece of apparatus over the age of 20 years, not 4.  This is the price to be paid for allowing politics to interfere with public safety.

Read How Monroe will handle their problem, as printed in the July 9th, 2008 edition of Voices. From Voices:

"MONROE - The auditorium at Jockey Hollow School was almost filled with residents at a special town meeting to address borrowing almost $6 million.

Residents had expected to vote on the proposal at the town meeting, but petitions were circulated the previous week that resulted in the town meeting being adjourned to a referendum.

More than 400 signatures were collected on petitions; only 200 were required. However, residents were allowed to express opinions on the bonding and many spoke.

There are four areas that were addressed in the bonding:

1) The first area is the bonding of $1,985,000 for emergency radio infrastructure at $1,272,550. The subscriber units are $527,450; the generator is $25,000 and the data center move is $85,000.

2) Jockey Hollow fire station has failed heating, ventilation and air conditioning; the cost to replace is $55,000.

3) Emergency vehicle replacements, pickup trucks, ambulance, dump trucks, sanders and plows have a price tag of $980,000.

4) Six fire trucks add up to a total of $3,045,000.

Bonding costs are $160,000 in two installments.

First Selectman Tom Buzi emphasized that the borrowing was being done for the "safety of Monroe residents."

The emergency radio system is completely inefficient, he noted. Fire, police and EMS at accidents cannot communicate with each other in many sections of town, unless they are in "close proximity."

"If there were a school lockdown at Masuk High School, there would be no communication from the outside to the inside of the school," Mr. Buzi said.

The goal is to have a town-wide UHF interoperable radio communications system for all emergency and public service agencies. Included is a three-channel fire/rescue analog radio system with 95 percent portable radio coverage.

Also needed is an upgraded EMS radio system that allows interoperable radio communications with Monroe's police and fire services.

As far as communication within the schools, Mr. Buzi said that the town must provide emergency radio communications between schools and emergency service providers.

The Department of Public Works also has a system that must be upgraded for town-wide coverage.

"This is especially needed in winter when a plow breaks down and there is no phone service," Mr. Buzi said.

In addressing the Jockey Hollow Fire/EMS station, the first selectman noted that the building is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The current heating and cooling zones are not placed properly.

The thermostat in the day room EMS uses is in the fire control room, limiting access for changes. Several contractors were contacted to try to fix the problem and all said it could no longer be done.

Fire vehicles are in sad shape and are old. The Stepney pumpers, 27 and 29 years-old, would be replaced next year by one pumper at a cost of $452,613. The manufacturer is out of business and no parts are available.

The 19-year-old tower ladder must be replaced in 2010-11 for $939,631. The manufacturer went bankrupt and maintenance costs are escalating.

Monroe Fire Company has a 22-year-old pumper, also from a manufacturer who is out of business. No parts are available. It would be replaced in 2010-11 at a cost of $446,838.

Mr. Buzi said that in 2010 there will be a $5,000 to $7,000 increase in the cost of each unit because engine manufacturers have to meet stricter government standards of operation.

Stevenson has a 25-year-old pumper; the manufacturer also is out of business. The current engine already has been refurbished.

Replacement would be in 2009-10 at a cost of $440,380. The department tanker also must be replaced at Stevenson to increase water capacity at fires; the cost is $229,688.

Then there are vehicles that must be replaced. The Department of Public works needs to replace two 1991, six-wheeler trucks at a cost of $155,000 each.

The Parks and Recreation Department's 1997 dump truck, with snow plow, is "hanging together" and must be replaced. That is the truck that plows town hall and the library; a new one costs $45,000.

Emergency Medical Services needs to replace the 10-year-old ambulance for $72,000.

"We have $85,000 in reserve for this," Mr. Buzi said. "The police animal control vehicle is shot," and replacement will cost $25,000.

Residents Comment

Town Council member Tony Unger told the audience that he was a member of the Capital Projects Facilities Task Force, a bipartisan group that studied the needs of the town, especially the safety needs.

"We listened to volunteers and public officials many times and voted to bring the program forward."

Chris Kirze, vice president of the Monroe Volunteer Fire Department, said public safety would be improved, and it would cost only about $21 a year for each $100,000 assessment.

Michelle Mount offered what she termed "a unique perspective." She lives across from the Jockey Hollow Fire Department and explained why she chose to live near a fire station.

"On October 8, 1987, my home in Ansonia burned to the ground. Firemen tried to save it but couldn't. I never want to experience that feeling again." Both she and her husband are EMS volunteers in Monroe.

"Three dollars a month is worth having our first responders be there," she said.

Patty Ulitowski, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, said she "and the committee will do what it can to see this passes at the referendum."

Ken Wielk is a volunteer fireman and an EMS volunteer. He related a story of one ambulance that "died out" in Bridgeport when it was taking a 15-month-old baby to the hospital and the child was having trouble breathing.

"Let's step up to the plate and pass this," he said.

Chief George Lattanzi of the Monroe Fire Department said the department had equipment "from when Nixon was president. The radio system is 30- to 40-years old, and everything is needed greatly."

John Howe, with the Stevenson Fire Department, said one of his company's trucks is so old it can have an antique plate.

"We also have issues when we can't hear the radios." he said.

The referendum will take place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at all four polling places."

Emergency Access Road Revisited

          “ At the latest deposition regarding Straw Pond the Developer cited Paul Perrotti's "opinion" in a letter that a road leading to Straw Pond could be built between Veleses house on George St. and Mannings house on White Ave.We have had a copy of that letter for some time now and we know that: 

This "opinion" is nothing more that the "opinion" of a volunteer, non-professional. As far as we know the "opinion" is somewhat off kilter because:

  

1. Perrotti is not an engineer of any kind,

2. Perrotti , to our knowledge, did not see schematics of the area 

so knows nothing of elevations, grades, etc.

3. Perrotti , to our knowledge, knows nothing about "line of 

sight" regulations or road regs in general of the State of CT,

4. Perrotti knows little or nothing about  traffic flow engineering 

problems,

5. Perrotti knows little or nothing of the law regarding planning 

and zoning.

6. Perrotti is a volunteer fireman not a professional fireman

First, all firefighters are professional.  Some are paid, but 75% of the firefighters in this country are volunteer, and they all are professional.

Second, the location of an emergency access road has nothing to do with engineering, line of sight, traffic flow, or any of the others on the list. It has everything to do with public safety.

Why Perrotti felt that he had to interfere with the process and volunteer his assessment of road ways to the developer is anybody's guess. 

Public safety is the responsibility of both the Fire and Police Departments.  Where emergency access roads are located has a direct bearing on the safety of those who will live in the development. Both the Fire and Police Departments chose the location of the emergency access road because it made the most sense from a public safety perspective. Whether or not Mr. DeAngelis approves of the location is not what is important. 

As far as we can determine Perrotti never consulted with the Chair of Planning and Zoning or the Selectmen. He sent the letter on his own. Why? 

Why would he? He was being asked his “opinion” as Fire Chief.  Public safety is not governed by consensus.  You don’t put your finger in the air to see which way the winds of public opinion are blowing.  You simply do the right thing and then move on. The Fire Chief makes the decisions regarding public safety.  Those decisions should be made independently from biased exterior influences.

What can the point have been and why did he not consult with the neighborhood people on White Ave about such a bombshell letter? Who knows?

Again, for the reasons stated above. 

The location of the emergency access road has already been addressed on this blog.  For those who may have missed it the post is reprinted below:

Past Post:-------------------

Apparently, Mr. DeAngelis does not know the definition of an EMERGENCY ACCESS ROAD. The proposal was not to build an interstate highway from White Ave. to the Straw Pond Development.  The proposal was to put an emergency access road on White Ave.  

An emergency access road is just that.  It is only used during emergencies, and only when conditions at the emergency warrant not using the main entrance.  It would not be used at any other time. These roads are not unique to Middlebury.  There are similar arrangements at Timex, Steeple Chase, and other locations.

The main entrance to the Straw Pond development would be located on Straits Turnpike. Because of the size of the development, and the number of people living in the area, an emergency access road is necessary.  So where do you put it? From a Fire Department standpoint, the optimum location is from the opposite side of the main entrance.

Former First Selectman Ed St. John proposed that the emergency access road run through the Town Yard. There are two problems with this scenario.

1) The emergency access road would be situated on the same road as the main entrance. From an emergency response standpoint, it is not practical.  If there is a natural disaster such as a tornado or hurricane, or even a motor vehicle accident that brings down the telephone poles on Straits Turnpike, making it impossible to access, how would emergency vehicles reach Straw Pond?  They could not.  The emergency access road must come from a different road.

2) In order to access the development from the town yard,  emergency responders would have to enter through the Town Yard and have to unlock and open 3 gates before reaching the development.  That would reduce response time.  When you consider that a fire will double in size every 15 seconds, this is significant.

The emergency access road on White Ave. would not impact the residents in the neighborhood one bit, unless there was an actual emergency, and access through the main entrance was impossible.  It would remain closed at all other times.

“Again, the developer in their lawsuit rely on Perrotti's statements ( not 

the FIRE DEPT ,”

The Fire Chief speaks for the Fire Department Mr. DeAngelis. Chief Perrotti made his recommendations on sound fire fighting principles.  But it was not just him.  The Police Commission voted and recommended that an emergency access road be situated at White Ave.  It was also the recommendation of the Police Chief to put it there as well.

You are asking Chief Perrotti to compromise “Public Safety”  and the safety of all those who would live in the development for your benefit.  You are asking Chief Perrotti to do something dishonest. He is not responsible for the Straw Pond development.  I think you used up enough pixels on your website in years past pointing the finger at someone else for your Straw Pond woes.  I guess you forgot about that. 

Wrong Again!!!

“Perrotti asks his lawyer ( is the taxpayer paying for this lawyer---we know the taxpayer is paying for his OTHER lawyer ( Savarese). Anyway his asks his lawyer to ask for a continuance since he ( shock, shock) NEEDS MORE TIME BEFORE THE MEETING ON MONDAY July, 7TH.”

No the Taxpayer is not paying for the Fire Department Lawyer who is protecting the MVFD from Mr. DeAngelis's frivolous FOIs.  The MVFD Inc. is paying for it.  This means less money for scholarships, the Middlebury Food Bank, firehouse equipment and supplies, and the Little League.  Money that the MVFD puts back into the community is being wasted on Mr. DeAngelis's FOIs.

To our knowledge Chief Perrotti never told the MVFD lawyer he needed more time.  More time for what? To tell Mr. DeAngelis that he is not entitled to see the confidential information he is requesting to see.  

He has already been told that and the MVFD will not be providing Mr. DeAngelis anymore information about private MVFD Inc. accounts either on July 7th or in September.  

The funds are not funds derived from taxes, so Mr. DeAngelis does not have a right to see any of it, no matter how much Mr. St. John complains about it.

More Taxpayer Money Being Wasted On Mr. DeAngelis's FOIs

“Savarese files an "appearance" in FOI hearing. Here comes another $7,000.00 fee.”

Thats right Mr. DeAngelis.  See how much your FOIs are costing the Town? More taxpayer money being wasted by Mr. DeAngelis on frivolous FOIs.

Mr. Savarese’s appearance at the FOI hearing will not have anything to do with the MVFD, but rather he will be representing the Town of Middlebury against Mr. DeAngelis.  He represents the taxpayers, and he is looking out for the best interest of the Town, which is what he is paid to do.  Mr. DeAngelis looks out for the best interest of Mr. St. John and his sidekick Ken Heidkamp.  I guess they will not be carpooling together this Monday.  See you in September.

Billing Victims And Stopping Skateboarding - Way To Go.

In the July 3rd, 2008 edition of the Republican/American, the BOF proposed requiring  the MVFD to charge for I-84 accidents and close a park down to save $20,000.

Requiring the MVFD to charge VICTIMS of I-84 accidents $550.00 per hour will not fly.   The patient is already being billed by the ambulance, whether or not it is the MVFD ambulance or Campion. We could see recovering some of the costs associated with large corporate incidents such as the hydrogen tank truck leak, but not for individuals who have found themselves victims of an accident. It is not right.

The BOF made this proposal without even consulting the MVFD.

During the normal I-84 MVA Engine 3 or Engine 4 responds to the highway for three reasons.  

First, to protect the scene so our EMTs can work safely on the patient. The engine creates a wall between oncoming traffic and the accident scene. The fire officer is constantly watching the scene for anything that may prove dangerous to either the police, firefighters, EMTs or patient.

Second, the engine crew assists the EMS crew in removing the patient from the vehicle and moving him/her to the ambulance. Firefighters, many who are cross-trained, also assist EMS personnel at accidents with multiple victims.

Third, the engine crew, ensures that there is no fire danger with the vehicle, and controls hazardous material spills.

The chief reason the engine is up there is to protect our EMTs. That is their job.  The MVFD is not a tax collecting service.  The MVFD is not going to support the use of firemen to collect money because the Town cannot figure out a budget for next year.  Its not their job. 

You also can’t charge someone for what they did not order.  They called an ambulance (which they are being billed for) not a fire engine.

I-84 accidents are extremely traumatic for all who are involved.  People die or nearly die all the time.  Volunteer firefighters are there to help mitigate, and stabilize the situation. They are keenly aware of the physical and emotional damage these victims are going through.  The last thing the MVFD is going to do is make the situation worse by billing a victim $550.00 per hour. It also damages the reputation of all firefighters in the fire service.  

Where will this stop?  The problem is, it won’t stop just with I-84 calls.  It will be the first step in billing all who need and use MVFD services.  It will spread to Route 64/63 calls and then eventually to private homes.  People will be reluctant to call the MVFD because of not being able to pay an outrageous bill created by the Town.  This will result in more fires. This idea has to be stopped before it gets going.

The BOF and the BOS are trying to muster support for their next budget with the large voting bloc at the MVFD.  We don’t believe you will get any support if this I-84 billing is included.

Next great idea.  Let’s shut down one of the parks.  Brilliant!  Let’s make the budget more attractive to voters by cutting off services to them.  

Which park?  Close down Ledgewood and you will feel the wrath of the entire ever-growing group of Skateboarders in Town as well as their families going against you.  The Skateboard park at Ledgewood Park was built completely by and partially funded by the Skateboarders and their families. Many of the families have donated equipment up there for the kids to use.  Are you going to reimburse them for their expenses if they cannot use the equipment they paid for?

Police Officer Todd Adams has worked feverishly in defense of the Skateboard program in Town.  He is credited for getting the program off the ground, and providing a safe and attractive area for our children to play.  Are you going to undo his work?

Now you want to close it down to save $20,000. Where do they get $20,000 from? $20,000 to mow grass, and pick up garbage? Even if the park was closed, would they just let the grass grow into a hay field? 

This Town bought a farm that no one can use, yet is now talking about closing a park that many families use.  The same holds true for Meadowview.  You think it is a good way to make people support your budget by cutting off services to them?  $20,000 is the same amount the Town reported cost the taxpayers for Mr. DeAngelis’s frivolous FOIs. 

This Town is starting to act like the US Congress whenever they could not pass a budget.  Instead of having real ideas, they start closing National Parks.  I would think Middlebury would have more sense.

How about not paving the roads for one year. How much would that save?  Sell some of Mr. St. John’s construction company equipment off. Stop spending so much money on lawyers. Collect the $900,000 owed to the Town from Mr. St. John’s Washington Dr. deal. Offer tax incentives to attract new corporate businesses into Town. Train volunteers to help out at the Library.  Fight harder for Middlebury’s interests in Region 15.

To me the budget cuts are reactionary without thinking about the consequences inflicted on those it will effect.  It is a way for this Board to punish those who did not accept their budget the first and second time around, just as they did before by closing the library. 

Apparatus Replacement Problem Will Not Go Away Unless We Act On It.

"Fire Apparatus Replacement program:  80 thousand. This is not the year 

to put aside money for a new truck. Let Gormley work with the fire dept 

and see how their treasury could be utilized"

Maybe we should bring back the bucket brigade.  That is apparently how Mr. DeAngelis would handle fire protection in Town. Former First Selectman, Ed St. John and Elaine Strobel have stalled apparatus replacement since 2002.  We now have a condition where the Town is facing replacing multiple pieces of apparatus, not just Engine 2.

In the winter of 2003, Mr. St. John sat down with the Fire Department Officers and discussed a way to bond a package that would replace Engine 2, refurbish or replace Engine 4, and refurbish or replace Rescue 1.  Mr. St. John called it a “global plan.”

However, after Mr. DeAngelis FOIed the MVFD for documents showing the Mr. St. John used Ph.D. on MVFD documents, all bets were off. Mr. St. John blamed the MVFD and Chief Perrotti for handing over documents that were required by FOI law.

Consequently, it appeared that Mr. St. John decided to punish the MVFD and most notably Chief Perrotti in any way he could.  This included stonewalling the apparatus replacement.  He used the Fire Commission, and the Consultant to further delay any decision-making process. It would seem that it was a waste of taxpayer money to have paid a consultant $9000.00 to tell him what he already knew in 2002.  Even after the consultant recommended replacement, Mr. St. John still did not act. Still no pumper, nor Rescue truck.

Now in 2008, the prices have gone up, the American LaFrance bid is no longer valid (because of the delay), and the new piece of apparatus will most likely cost more than what the Town could have purchased from American LaFrance.

Here is the wake up call.

Engine 3 20 years old

Engine 4 21 years old 

Engine 2 27 years old

Rescue 1 30 years old

Engine 1 17 years old.

Engine 3 is the main attack piece for the Town.  If your house catches on fire it will most-likely be Engine 3 that will be the first at your door. It is a critical piece of apparatus.  If you live on the West end of Town, depending on the time of day, you may get Engine 4 at your door first. Both of these pieces are over 20 years old and should be replaced as first due pieces.

Engine 2 should be sold, and a new Engine 2 should be purchased.   It takes almost one year to build fire apparatus.  The new Engine 2 takes Engine 3’s place.  Engine 3 goes to the Westend station.

Now we have another problem.  There is much new development on the West end of Town.  If Engine 3 is no longer adequate as an attack piece for the East end, then why should the West end get it?  The answer is, they should not.  That is why soon after Engine 2 is ordered, the Town will have to start planning on replacing Engine 4.  Engine 3 would then replace the current Engine 2 as a second alarm piece.

After the new Engine 4 is ordered something will have to be done about Rescue 1.

If Mr. St. John had acted in 2006 when the MVFD requested him to (see White Paper), Engine 2 and Rescue 1 would have already been replaced.  The MVFD would now be making plans to replace Engine 4.

The outcome is that apparatus replacement has been delayed for political purposes and the Town of Middlebury has a serious problem that will not go away.  Mr. Gormley has inherited this problem from the former First Selectman.

Each year the Chief provides the Town with a long-range apparatus replacement plan and each year it seems to be ignored. Delaying apparatus replacement only worsens the problem and may start to affect the Towns ISO which means higher insurance rates for all of us.

People come to the Firehouse and many say that the apparatus looks brand new.  It looks that way because the MVFD takes very good care of their fleet. However, the exterior of apparatus can be misleading of what is happening on the inside.  It is the engine and pump along with the firefighters that put out fires, not the shinny red paint.

The Town needs to do what Mr. St. John spoke about doing in 2002.  We need a global replacement plan.  If a piece of apparatus fails at a fire, it will not be the MVFD’s fault.  The community has been warned.

Not putting money aside each year for apparatus is foolish. $80,000 will probably not even pay for the airpacks that need to be purchased for the new Engine.  It is just a drop in the bucket of Mr. DeAngelis’s bucket brigade.