Update on Stamford Merger

[Geppetto 31]

Two papers have reported it, so apparently not -

http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/481604

[FFPCogs 863]

Bobby Valentine ? Is this a joke ?

As I stated in another forum:

Maybe this is just what is needed, the non partisan objective view of a well respected native son not entrenched in either "side" of the issue. Let's face it, whether anyone wants to admit it or not the truth is agendas, animosity, distrust and disrespect have run rampant through this whole mess from the beginning and have up to this point prevented any real steps towards a resolution. I would hope that we would all agree that a new direction is long overdue. That being the case, this task force offers the possibility of that new direction and should be afforded the opportunity to develop one with our support.

As for the make up of the task force overall, I think the choices made are good ones. I would hope that none of the representatives come into this with a preset agenda, but rather look objectively at all options that have a reasonable chance of success. Should they bring with them the concerns and obligations from each quarter? Of course they should, for they are considerations which must be addressed, but they cannot be bound by them if there is to be any kind of real solution.

As with any such endeavor it is a sure thing that not everyone will be satisfied by the composition of this task force. I would venture to say that it's a safe bet that whatever the ulitmate plan there will be those who find fault with that as well, maybe even myself among them. But the choices have been made by the Mayor and each "side" is represented. Whether you agree with those choices or not, a start at resolving the mess within that framework has been made. Enough of recrimination and agendas. Let them do their work in charting the future and let us do ours by making it happen.

Stay Safe

Cogs

Peter Cogliano

Belltown FD

Stamford, CT

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

As I stated in another forum:

Maybe this is just what is needed, the non partisan objective view of a well respected native son not entrenched in either "side" of the issue. Let's face it, whether anyone wants to admit it or not the truth is agendas, animosity, distrust and disrespect have run rampant through this whole mess from the beginning and have up to this point prevented any real steps towards a resolution. I would hope that we would all agree that a new direction is long overdue. That being the case, this task force offers the possibility of that new direction and should be afforded the opportunity to develop one with our support.

As for the make up of the task force overall, I think the choices made are good ones. I would hope that none of the representatives come into this with a preset agenda, but rather look objectively at all options that have a reasonable chance of success. Should they bring with them the concerns and obligations from each quarter? Of course they should, for they are considerations which must be addressed, but they cannot be bound by them if there is to be any kind of real solution.

As with any such endeavor it is a sure thing that not everyone will be satisfied by the composition of this task force. I would venture to say that it's a safe bet that whatever the ulitmate plan there will be those who find fault with that as well, maybe even myself among them. But the choices have been made by the Mayor and each "side" is represented. Whether you agree with those choices or not, a start at resolving the mess within that framework has been made. Enough of recrimination and agendas. Let them do their work in charting the future and let us do ours by making it happen.

Stay Safe

Cogs

Peter Cogliano

Belltown FD

Stamford, CT

His brother inlaw was a volunteer Fire Chief and one of his best friends was a paid Firefighter for almost 40 years both with no ties to Stamford Edited February 5, 2010 by PCFD ENG58

[Geppetto 31]

Hot seats: Stamford panel has first meeting on fire service reform

Jeff Morganteen - Stamford Advocate

February 5, 2010

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Hot-seats-Stamford-panel-has-first-meeting-on-353437.php

[Geppetto 31]

Springdale chief wants city firefighters removed from firehouse

Jeff Morganteen - Stamford Advocate

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

...The Springdale Fire Co. told officials with the previous mayoral administration last fall that it wanted to terminate its contract with the city, giving 180 days notice until the agreement is officially terminated and firefighters are forced to leave the firehouse. That gives the city and the Springdale firehouse until late April to come up with some sort of resolution....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Springdale-chief-wants-city-firefighters-removed-358260.php

Notation: The web site article is the 2nd half of a two page article which appeared in print. If/when The Advocate gets their act together, I'll repost. G

Article is up-to-date as of 1100.

Edited February 10, 2010 by Geppetto

[ny10570 745]

First, I've gotta congratulate you on keeping the longest running thread I've seen in any forum active. Second, how can anyone hire 16 people for less than it costs to take 16 from a much larger staffing pool. Administrative costs alone are going to make that difficult. Then, how does this dept negotiate insurance benefits and provide a pension without breaking the bank?

[FFPCogs 863]

First, I've gotta congratulate you on keeping the longest running thread I've seen in any forum active. Second, how can anyone hire 16 people for less than it costs to take 16 from a much larger staffing pool. Administrative costs alone are going to make that difficult. Then, how does this dept negotiate insurance benefits and provide a pension without breaking the bank?

I too must congratulate you on your continued efforts Geppetto...thanks

Below is my response from another site to a posters comments titled "so much for cooperation", about these latest developments as reported above by the Advocate. As usual it fits just as well here...plus I'm just too damn lazy to type it again... :

The entire situation is a long time in the making and right or wrong I can tell you that the levels of animosity and mistrust run high here. There are those who seek an equitable and more importantly a productive resolution, but old feelings and past actions are not easily overcome. Nor are the agendas which have plagued this issue from the outset.

There is more than enough speculation and innuendo floating around here as to why Springdale's Chief has chosen this course of action, so I will refrain from adding mine. But I will say that at least to him there is validity in it, and judgement should be reserved until his entire plan and it's justification(s) are known. To be quite frank, IMHO our local newspaper has had difficulty in reporting ANY news about anything accurately, so any information gleaned from it should be tempered with a bit of skepticism.

The battle lines are pretty firmly drawn here, with each "side" convinced of the validity of their view. This is to be expected, for as I said this has been brewing in Stamford for years. Ideas, plans, and theories to resolve this have been suggested by many people involved in this mess. Most have met with derision, scorn or outright dismissal, more often than not because they don't support any particular agenda at play here. The Task Force set up by the Mayor is charged with moving past those agendas to find that which will best serve the city as a whole. It may be, however doubtful to many, that Chief Fahan's plan is a step in that direction, then again it may not.

Speaking only for myself I too believe that we should be moving towards a unified system, although not one in which volunteers are subordinated, or relegated to a support role. I do find the notion of the VFDs being "the farm team" or "feeder" for SFRD to be counterproductive and ultimately detrimental to the long term viability of volunteer firefighting in this city. A far better approach, at least to me, would be to try to emulate those combination systems that have proven successful utilzing both career and volunteer personnel equally, based on standardized performance guidelines. Everyone who knows me knows I regularly cite MD and VA as examples of that, and I hold firm to that belief.

Irrespective of my opinions or anyone elses, it is a sure thing that the situation MUST be resolved. How that is best accomplished may still be open to debate, but what should not be is realization that only through compromise will we assure that the public's best interest is served.

Peter Cogliano

Firefighter/ T.O.

Belltown Fire Dept

Stamford, CT

Edited February 11, 2010 by FFPCogs

[Alpinerunner 61]

There is a public meeting of the Task Force at Turn of River Fire Dept at 6pm on Friday Feb 12th (tomorrow). As it is a public meeting, all are welcome: volunteers, union members, and concerned citizens.

268 Turn of River Rd, Stamford

[Geppetto 31]

Can Valentine fix fire mess?

Stamford Advocate

February 11, 2010

Editorial

Stop us if you've heard this one:

"A priest, a baseball manager and a bunch of angry firefighters walk into the room ..."

Sounds like a joke, doesn't it?

But Stamford's mayor is serious about the committee he has assembled to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of bringing harmony to the city's fire service.

And on second look, the idea is not as funny as it might initially appear....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Can-Valentine-fix-fire-mess-361409.php

[efdcapt115 1,511]

If Bobby Valentine can't get the job done, Stamford can bring in Art Howe. If Art can't do it Willie Randolph would be next in line......

[wraftery 1,275]

If Bobby Valentine can't get the job done, Stamford can bring in Art Howe. If Art can't do it Willie Randolph would be next in line......

You are right, Cap, who would have been a better pick to straighten out Stamford. Stamford's situation is kinda "Who's on first, what's on second, I dunno's on third.'

Bobby's a tough negotiator. I've seen him in action. If he thinks somebody has made a bad call, he'll run right up to you and make his point. Back off if he turns hat around. That's when he really firm about making his point. I remember one time he was thrown out for kicking a little dirt. He showed up a few minutes in Groucho glasses.

OK, so efdcpot115 and I are goofing on a serious situation, but what's wrong with Stamford chosing Bobby Valentine?

Who would you guys pick...a Lawyer?

[Geppetto 31]

Stamford volunteer fire chief presents consolidation plan under umbrella group

Jeff Morganteen, Stamford Advocate

February 12, 2010

STAMFORD -- The former Turn of River Fire Department chief presented -- before a crowd of about 60 volunteer and career firefighters Friday night -- a plan for fire service in the volunteer districts that would consolidate the Big Five departments under a greater "umbrella organization."

Ray Whitbread spoke at his former department on Turn of River Road during the second meeting of the task force Mayor Michael Pavia formed to tackle long-standing issues in the city's fire service. Whitbread presented a counter proposal to the plan illustrated by Stamford Fire & Rescue officials last week....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Stamford-volunteer-fire-chief-presents-363299.php

[Bnechis 3,961]

Stamford volunteer fire chief presents consolidation plan under umbrella group

They could not have done this 500 posts ago?

[SageVigiles 1,194]

From what I understand, I can't really blame the Stamford volunteers for mistrusting the city and its consolidation efforts. The city has tried some pretty underhanded tactics to get rid of them, and even now they are trying to undermine the spirit of the charter, saying they would rather not go through a charter revision.

That being said, the volunteers down there DO have a problem, and they need to recognize and correct it, or they will be eliminated. They aren't delivering reliable services to the customer and that gives the career department an excuse to come in and take over.

If everyone would have stopped pounding their chests from the beginning and sat down to rationally discuss the problems like gentlemen, I think they could have avoided a pretty litigious, distasteful and inefficient process. Hopefully Chief Whitbread will be able to bring all the players to the table and get them to talk this out rationally. WIthout a seat at the consolidation table, the volunteers are definitely going to get themselves cut out of the process and see themselves eliminated. The charter can only save you for so long. There is no reason you can't come up with a solution that benefits the people of Stamford as well as the volunteer departments and the City government.

[FD828 77]

This is a quote from the advocate

"Whitbread said he was concerned that this plan would relegate volunteers to a secondary role at working fires because career firefighters could get to emergencies more quickly,"

Isn't this what the whole thing is about? Getting to the emergency (all emergency calls) quickly (with fully staffed crew)? Isn't public safety the main goal here? Apparently what's in the best interest for the residents of North Stamford is not the main concern of the X-Chief of TOR. How can you really say that you don't like a plan that will get emergency crews to a fire quicker then what your current crews can do just because they are CFF's?! I hope the public can see where their safety ranks on the priority list of this so called umbrella plan.

[Geppetto 31]

Fire officials unveil 'cost-neutral' plan

By Jeff Morganteen, Stamford Advocate

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

STAMFORD -- During a meeting of the task force created to reform the city's fire service, Peter Brown, the assistant fire chief of Stamford Fire & Rescue, offered a sobering assessment of their financial limitations.

City officials told Brown there's no money in the upcoming budget for revamping the fire service. Plans proposed by Stamford Fire & Rescue officers call for shuffling manpower and vehicles. Brown said he was charged with coming up with a plan that would not raise costs....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Fire-officials-unveil-cost-neutral-plan-369415.php

[Geppetto 31]

Firefighters proud of their volunteer spirit

Stamford Advocate

February 20, 2010

A dispute over firefighting in Stamford has smoldered and burned for 15 years, though the match was unwittingly lit long ago.

In the 1940s, the city of Stamford, south of Bull's Head, and the town of Stamford, north of Bull's Head, merged.

The south had a paid firefighting department, Stamford Fire & Rescue, and the north had five volunteer departments -- Belltown, Glenbrook, Springdale, Turn of River and Long Ridge. The city Charter gave the volunteers autonomy over their firehouses and mandated that taxpayers fund them....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Firefighters-proud-of-their-volunteer-spirit-373326.php

[Geppetto 31]

Fire task force digging in for 'very interesting game'

Tom Evans - Stamford Times

02/24/2010

STAMFORD -- The eight-member Fire Protection Resolution Task Force continues to collect and analyze data surrounding a long-running conflict between the city and its volunteer fire services.

"I think we're in the middle innings of a very interesting game," said Bobby Valentine, chairman of the task force and former New York Mets manager. "We, the task force, have been trying to become educated on the issues. We're fact finding, and everyone is overly optimistic we will reach a good resolution. So far there's probably been more information than we can digest."...

http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/482665

[jcoppola 52]

Fire task force digging in for 'very interesting game'

Tom Evans - Stamford Times

02/24/2010

http://www.thestamfo...om/story/482665

Enough already with the stupid baseball analogies. Come up with a freakin solution.

[Geppetto 31]

Task force uses Long Ridge blaze to study Stamford fire service

Jeff Morganteen, Stamford Advocate

February 25, 2010

STAMFORD -- At their latest meeting, members of the mayor's fire service task force dissected the response to an early Wednesday morning fire in North Stamford, using it as a live illustration of how a convoluted fire service operates in a city where several independent departments routinely respond to structure fires together....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Task-force-uses-Long-Ridge-blaze-to-study-381663.php

[Geppetto 31]

One command for fire service

Stamford Advocate - Editorial

February 26, 2010

It is impossible to read Angela Carella's Feb. 21 column in which the city's volunteer fire chiefs speak about their calling and not be overcome with admiration for what they and their ranks do for the city of Stamford.

Volunteer firefighters literally put their lives on the line for their neighbors, and ask nothing in return. That is literally the noblest act a human being can perform.

Which makes the issue of what to do about Stamford's convoluted, out-of-date, angst-ridden, asking-for-trouble firefighting system so difficult....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/opinion/article/One-command-for-fire-service-383071.php

[x242Steve 1]

Wide-ranging layoffs in Stamford

By Devon Lash And Elizabeth Kim, Staff Writers

Published: 10:46 p.m., Monday, March 8, 2010

STAMFORD -- The city will eliminate 119 positions, including laying off 49 full-time employees as of July 1, Mayor Michael Pavia announced Monday during presentation of his 2010-11 budget plan.

Stamford Fire & Rescue, the fire department that covers downtown Stamford, will lose an administrative office account clerk who processed invoices and requisitions in addition to performing office support responsibilities, as well as 14 vacant firefighter positions, one vacant assistant fire marshal position and one vacant deputy fire marshal position.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Wide-ranging-layoffs-in-Stamford-397407.php

Edited March 11, 2010 by 242steve

[Geppetto 31]

Fire Company has plan to save $1.4 million

TOM EVANS

STAMFORD TIMES 03/18/2010

STAMFORD -- In this time of financial belt-tightening, the Springdale Fire Company has developed a plan to save the city $1.4 million while increasing efficiency within the department on the north end of the city, according to the department's chief.

Chief Shawn Fahan is proposing to remove 16 City of Stamford career firefighters from the department -- putting them into the pool of about 250 city firefighters directed by Stamford Fire & Rescue -- and replacing them with 10 career firefighters with specific skills that would enhance the operation of the city's oldest active volunteer station at 987 Hope St....

http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/483704

[FireMedic049 597]

Fire Company has plan to save $1.4 million

TOM EVANS

STAMFORD TIMES 03/18/2010

http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/483704

If I understand the article correctly........

Springdale has a budget of $2.5 million currently, which includes the cost of 16 SFR FFs.

Removing these 16 FFs would reduce their budget to $1.1 million.

The City would then save $1.4 million by removing these FFs from Springdale and using them elsewhere in the City.

Springdale would then hire 10 "replacement" FFs and pay for them out of this $1.1 million budget.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but this just doesn't make much sense.

Removing the 16 FFs and reassigning them elsewhere in the department does not result in a $1.4 million savings for the City because these 16 FFs are still being employed and paid for by the City. It may save money down the line if the City chooses not to replace the next 16 FF that leave the department.

If Springdale can have their budget cut by 56% and still afford to hire 10 FFs, then it would seem that they have been grossly over-budgeted for in the past or they are no longer paying for something in their operation - like equipment, apparatus repair/replacement, building costs, etc. Is this the case or will they be using "other" funding to pay for these FFs?

If they use "other" funding, then wouldn't that actually significantly increase the cost of fire protection since that money (for the most part) would likely also come from the tax payers if using common VFD fundraising sources?

Maybe someone closer to this can clarify?

[Alpinerunner 61]

They may have significant savings. Obviously it isn't sustainable, but maybe they are expecting things to change before these savings run out.

[FireMedic049 597]

They may have significant savings. Obviously it isn't sustainable, but maybe they are expecting things to change before these savings run out.

No actual job cuts are in the proposal and it includes creating new jobs. Where are the savings?

[x152 179]

No actual job cuts are in the proposal and it includes creating new jobs. Where are the savings?

FireMedic:

The proposal is nothing new and just another scam. It is the same garbage this guy has been proposing since the day he magically returned as Chief in 2002.

He has had one agenda and one goal as Chief.......get rid of the City Fire Fighters in his Station and give jobs to himself and his handful of faithful minions.

From unlawful transfers, to the barricading of apparatus from entering the building, to the attempted installation of illegal surveillance cameras in crew quarters, his entire tenure has been consumed with every conceivable attempt to harass the career staff working in his Station.

Anyone from Stamford is well versed with this personality and his behavior and actions should make any Firefighter blush with embarrassment.

[emtpjimd 1]

I'm not a Stamford firefighter, but agree the Springdale Chief's constant actions are embarrassing....he drove away any good, competent volunteers and if he didn't have the career SFRD crew there calls would go unanswered in Springdale regularly...he and his cadre of minions need to go if Springdale has any chance of surviving as a volunteer department.

[Geppetto 31]

Stamford fire task force sets final meeting date

Jeff Morganteen, Stamford Advocate

Friday, April 2, 2010

STAMFORD -- At what could be one the last meetings of the task force created by the mayor to suggest ways to reform the city's fire service, chairman Bobby Valentine told members to finalize proposals so the group can forward its recommendations to City Hall....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Stamford-fire-task-force-sets-final-meeting-date-433796.php

[Geppetto 31]

Stamford firefighter's union and chief in dispute over automatic alarm responses

Jeff Morganteen

Stamford Advocate - Tuesday, April 6, 2010

STAMFORD -- The professional firefighters' union and the chief of Stamford Fire & Rescue Department will meet Wednesday morning to discuss manpower changes during automatic alarm responses made north of Bulls Head by the career fire department.

Chief Robert McGrath said he changed the response protocols for automatic fire alarms in the city's northern half this February because sending apparatus and firefighters from downtown firehouses in the southern portion left those areas vulnerable....

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Stamford-firefighter-s-union-and-chief-in-dispute-437883.php