N.J. UNIONS, PUBLIC WORKERS SUE to STOP PENSION, BENEFITS OVERHAUL
NJ.COM - August 31, 2011 - A court battle over benefits began in earnest today, as dozens of the state’s public sector unions, workers and retirees filed a lawsuit in federal court to overturn the newly enacted overhaul of pension and health benefit care benefits.
The suit challenges several aspects of the new bill — a major victory for Gov. Chris Christie — including the suspension of cost of living adjustments until the fund is 80 percent financed, which is estimated to take 30 years. The unions say employees and retirees have “non-forfeitable rights” to the adjustments.
“This lawsuit is about basic fairness and justice,” said Barbara Keshishian, president of the New Jersey Education Association. “Governor Christie and the Legislature passed a law which illegally takes away benefits that school employees and others have already earned through their service to the people of New Jersey.”
The 17-count lawsuit was filed by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), Communications Workers of America (CWA), and public safety worker unions, among others. David Fox, an attorney for several of the unions, said they plan to file a similar lawsuit next week in state court.
In addition to suspending cost-of-living increases, the law requires all of the approximately 800,000 current and retired public workers — including police officers, firefighters and teachers — to pay significantly more for pensions and health benefits and raises the retirement age for new employees.
“The average state pension, including managers, is $23,000 a year, and just $14,000 for local government workers,” Hetty Rosenstein, New Jersey director for the CWA, said.
“But hundreds of thousands of public service professionals planned their lives around that deal. The State of New Jersey, however, has not lived up to its end of the bargain.”
Rosenstein’s union is currently engaged in contract negotiations with the Christie administration.
The unions also contend the state’s underfinancing of the pension system over the last decade violates workers’ contractual rights and that the new system gives “unrestrained authority” a committee made up of union officials and state managers to make changes to pensions.
A more narrowly focused lawsuit has already been filed in state court by a Superior Court judge who says the new law shouldn’t apply to state judges because the New Jersey Constitution says their pay “shall not be diminished during their term of appointment.”
The overhaul, pushed through the Legislature with the help of Democratic legislative leaders and signed by the governor with much fanfare in June, seeks to cut costs because the pension and health benefit systems are underfunded by a combined $120 billion.
“Another lawsuit won’t change the fact that the public employee pension system was on a collision course with collapse without the governor’s and the legislature’s bipartisan intervention,” said Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the governor. “The union leadership is unaccountably oblivious to that. So fine, file another lawsuit, keep your heads in the sand and ignore the problem; we will defend as necessary our pledge to fix the public employee pension system for all employees, former, present and future.”
Chris Donnelly, a spokesman for Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), said the legislative leader is confident the law is “on sound legal footing.”
“He believes it is time to move on and tackle the next big issues impacting New Jersey, like getting people back to work and kick starting the economy,” Donnelly said.
The unions organized large rallies to protest the law as it made its way through the legislature and vowed political retribution for lawmakers who supported it.
Indeed, the unions have already withheld campaign funds and endorsements for the legislative leaders who supported the legislation. They say it does away with their rights to collectively bargain for medical benefits.
“Taxpayers will pay the price, both in the cost of defending the state’s illegal action and in the time lost when we should be coming up with real solutions to the problems New Jersey’s politicians have created through their irresponsibility with the pension system,” Keshishian said.
WAVES OF APPREHENSION, HOPE FOLLOWING FIRING OF EDISON BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR
Ex-Business Administrator Placed on Transition Team
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - April 15, 2011 - The firing of Dennis Gonzalez, the township's former business administrator, has shaken up the municipal government in a variety of ways that has several residents, employees and the township council both apprehensive and hopeful.
A state statute requires that Gonzalez be paid for five weeks following his April 12 dismissal, but it doesn't require that he work. Yet, Gonzalez is working. Mayor Antonia Ricigliano has placed him on a transition team in town hall as she reorganizes her administration in the wake of firing him. "He has been business administrator here, and I need him to help with the transition for when he leaves," Ricigliano said. "He is assisting me, and I am taking over all of his responsibilities."
Among the plaintiffs in more than eight lawsuits filed against Gonzalez by current and former municipal employees is the Edison Fire Fighters Association, the union that represents the township's 120 professional firefighters. The union had accused Gonzalez of stonewalling requests for information filed under New Jersey's Open Public Records Act. OPRA requests must be filled within seven business days, according to the Department of Community Affairs. Some of the union's requests have been outstanding for more than a month, said Jim Walsh, the union's vice president and a professional township firefighter.
Despite the firing of Gonzalez, Walsh said he planned to contact the Government Records Council of the state Department of Community Affairs if all six of the outstanding OPRA requests aren't filled within two weeks. The Government Records Council then would offer a free mediator to the township and the union to settle, according to Lisa Ryan, spokeswoman for the Department of Community Affairs.
Ricigliano said she has taken over the responsibility of administratively filling all OPRA requests, and the union will receive everything it has requested within two weeks.
Gonzalez's dismissal also may have impacted the administrative hearing of suspended police Chief Thomas Bryan, scheduled for today but postponed until Wednesday, Bryan's attorney Vito Gagliardi said.
Gonzalez suspended Bryan with pay on March 22 for insubordination. An administrative hearing will determine if Bryan will be suspended for an additional two weeks without pay.
The township has not responded to Bryan's request to waive his right to an administrative hearing and appear directly in state Superior Court, Gagliardi said. Doing so would save Edison taxpayers money, he said.
"I think the taxpayers in Edison should ask themselves how they feel about someone who lights a bunch of fires, then leaves town for somebody else to put them out," said Gagliardi, referring to lawsuits filed against Gonzalez while he worked in Trenton. "I am hopeful that some authority in Edison will put a stop to this before more tax money is wasted and more damage is done to the police department."
Ricigliano said she would discuss Bryan's request to appear directly in Superior Court with Karl Kemm, the township attorney.
Additionally, the township has not responded to requests for written discovery, Gagliardi said, adding that he will be forced to file a series of OPRA requests to the township.
"Whatever he needs, he'll get," Ricigliano said.
In other matters, township council members and residents have expressed hope that Ricigliano will at least amend her executive order prohibiting communication between the council and municipal employees.
Councilwoman Melissa Perilstein said the firing of Gonzalez provides the mayor with an opportunity to end or amend the executive "gag" order in a way that would open up communication within the municipal government and change the tone of her administration.
"People should be able to contact the council and not put that burden solely on the mayor or the management specialist," Perilstein said. "I hope that the mayor and her administration will look at this as an opportunity to start addressing all the things that we were elected to do. And let's step away from the nonsense of micromanagement."
Bill Stephens, the township's management specialist, said the executive order most likely will be amended to partially reopen the flow of communication between the council and department directors. Ricigliano said she had a meeting with directors about the matter and will notify council of the results.
In the meantime, at least one council member is concerned about Gonzalez remaining at work.
Councilman Sudhanshu Prasad said the mayor is derelict in her duty by allowing Gonzalez anywhere near municipal documents.
"In a situation where the safety and legal protection for this town is compromised, I think Gonzalez should have no access to any communication, any document or any information that is in custody of the township," Prasad said. "For him to continue to have access is tantamount to dereliction of duty. I think this one of the worst mistakes this administration has made."
Stephens said Gonzalez cannot access any files except those on his own computer. Safeguards have been taken, Stephens said, to make sure that all files will be protected while Gonzalez is on the administration's transition team.
Ricigliano said no one has the authority to access all of the municipality's computer files.
She said the transition of her administration will determine how long Gonzalez will remain working in town hall through May 17.
TAXPAYERS PAY MORE WITH FIRE-RESCUE ELIMINATION
SENTINEL - March 30, 2011 - Mayor Ricigliano continues to distort the facts. In the March 16 edition of the Sentinel (“Mayor Presents Budget With Stable Tax Rate), Mrs. Ricigliano continues her lie that she is saving the taxpayers money by eliminating Fire-Rescue and replacing them with a per-diem EMS crew.
Under the mayor’s system, Edison taxpayers are paying more and getting less. Previously, four firefighters who were also statecertified EMTs staffed two Fire- Rescue units. These firefighters received an additional $2-$3 per hour stipend for their Fire-Rescue assignment. The firefighters, who are still members of the department, were available to fight fires and perform rescue operations (including motor vehicle extrications, high-angle rescues and trench collapses) in addition to responding to medical emergencies. Most of their salary was based on their being firefighters. Nobody was being paid $125,000 solely for EMT duties. The cost to Edison taxpayers for two 24/7 guaranteed emergency medical response units was about $24 an hour.
Now Edison residents are paying a per-diem crew over $36 per hour, and these EMTs are not qualified to fight fires or perform rescues. While spending more taxpayer money, Mayor Ricigliano reduced the town’s emergency medical response capabilities. Edison’s emergency medical response needs are now covered by a patchwork system of a limited number of full-time EMS crews that don’t work nights or weekends; volunteer groups that don’t always have adequate staffing and at times are unable to respond to calls; and a per-diem crew. Since eliminating Fire-Rescue, there have been numerous instances of delayed responses to medical emergencies and at times the township only having one, or in some cases no, ambulances available.
Ironically, while the mayor is constantly complaining about budget problems, Fire-Rescue turned a profit. In 2010, Fire-Rescue generated a $123,000 profit for the town from insurance company reimbursements.
Robert Yackel
President
Edison Fire Fighters Association
EDISON FIREFIGHTERS BLAST MAYOR FOR STAFFING SHORTAGE
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NJ.COM – July 23, 2010 - The Edison firefighters union publicly campaigned for Antonia Ricligliano in last year’s election, as she ascended from a councilwoman to the township’s mayor.
But today dozens of firefighters lambasted the mayor during a rally at Raritan Center, saying she’s “ignoring the safety” of the town by reducing a staffing policy when the department is already low on manpower. They also canvassed the town with fliers about the issue.
Ricigliano recently cut the minimum number of firefighters needed to be on duty at all times from 22 to 20 in Edison, the state’s fifth-largest town, with about 100,000 residents. The move also sidelined one of the two fire trucks stationed in the Clara Barton section of town.
The mayor said the moves were because the department is short-staffed.
“We are doing the best we can in very difficult times,” the mayor said.
She noted that Deputy Fire Chief Brian Latham, who has been running the department since Chief Norman Jensen retired, assured her that public safety will not be compromised. Latham could not be reached for comment today.
But fire union president Robert Yackel blasted the decision.
“This is not a little town that doesn’t need a fire department,” he said today. “This is absolutely ridiculous. This is about safety.”
Yackel said Edison is down 30 firefighters since 2005, and the town hasn’t replaced one of them.
He also noted that Edison’s two ladder trucks are damaged and out of commission. Plus, he said, while Edison officials cut ribbon on a new public-safety complex six months ago, only EMTs are stationed there — no police officers or firefighters.
Meanwhile, Yackel alleged that one of Ricigliano’s assistants, former Councilman William Stephens, actually oversees decisions in Edison. Yackel believes Stephens doesn’t support the department because the fire union didn’t back him when he ran for mayor in 2001 and 2005.
“We worked hard to get her elected,” Yackel said of Ricigliano. “Unfortunately, she’s letting Bill Stephens be a de-factor mayor and she’s not running the town.”
Ricigliano squashed that idea.
“Do I ask for opinions? I do,” the mayor said. “But the final decision is mine, the final responsibility is mine.”
Stephens said Yackel’s comments were political posturing.
“The mayor does her job, and I do mine,” he said.
Ricigliano said she’s already looked into buying a new ladder truck and that the Raritan Center building hasn’t been staffed because of low manpower. She noted that she’s hoping to hire more firefighters soon, despite budget constraints.
She also said she understood Yackel’s concerns.
“He has to speak up for his union membership,” she said. “It doesn’t disturb me. He’s doing his job.”
The fire union is still waiting for the town council to ratify a new labor contract.
EDISON MAYOR SAYS 'CALM' HAS SETTLED OVER TOWN SINCE SHE TOOK OFFICE
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NJ.COM - April 11, 2010 - Mayor Antonia “Toni” Ricigliano described Edison Friday with a word rarely associated with the sprawling, politically tumultuous suburb.
“There’s a calm that has settled over town,” Ricigliano said when asked to reflect on her first three months in office.
Not everyone would agree.
It’s been 100 days since the 71-year-old former Edison councilwoman took over the state’s fifth-largest town, ascending to the seat after ousting former Mayor Jun Choi in a shocking Democratic primary upset and then cruising in the general election.
Calm? A week after taking office, Ricigliano drew ire for demoting 10 police officers and four firefighters previously promoted by Choi.
A week later, she dealt with a gas explosion that blew up a doctor’s office.
Most recently, she introduced a municipal budget with an unexpected tax hike.
“We’ve also had three snowstorms and one almost-hurricane,” she said with a laugh, finishing the list.
But supporters say you can sense the atmosphere in town is lighter than it was under Choi.
“Our council meetings have been less crazy,” said Edison Council President Charles Tomaro, who was elected in November on Ricigliano’s ticket. “She treats people with respect.”
Tomaro also noted that Ricigliano became the first mayor in 20 years that had to balance a budget right away. The town recently switched from a fiscal to a calendar year budget cycle.
“She’s not going crazy and ordering new equipment or cars,” Tomaro said.
But taxes are an issue. Originally, Ricigliano said homeowners would see no tax increase.
Then, Gov. Chris Christie’s administration starting slashing state aid to towns. Edison lost $3.5 million, which Ricigliano said forced her to raise taxes.
Still, Councilwoman Melissa Perilstein fears Ricigliano has no concrete plan to help fix the town’s financial issues.
“I feel like we’re in a holding pattern,” said Perilstein, one of Choi’s allies on the council. “I’m not sure if there’s a navigation system in place to direct the town.”
Opponents have also spoken out against Ricigliano’s personnel changes.
The mayor said she demoted the police officers and firefighters to save the town money. Critics claimed they were a way to reward the police and fire unions who backed her during the elections and opposed Choi’s original promotions.
Six of the 10 police officers have filed lawsuits since then.
“I think we can withstand the legal challenge,” Ricigiliano said. “I did not make the decision in a vacuum.”
Another controversy erupted last month when Edison Fire Chief Norman Jensen claimed Ricigliano was trying to force him into retirement. The mayor denied bullying Jensen, saying she was simply looking for a regime change.
Jensen has since been on vacation, but Ricigliano said he has yet to file retirement papers.
“Her execution on personnel issues has been less than stellar so far,” Perilstein said of the mayor at the time.
Next, Ricigliano will present her proposed town budget to the Edison council this week.
She said she has also reached a contract agreement with the police and the police superior officers unions and is starting negotiations with the fire union — though she declined to reveal details until she speaks with the council.
STATE CALLS FOR RENEGOTIATING 'TOO EXPENSIVE' JERSEY CITY POLICE AND FIRE CONTRACTS
NJ.COM - April 8, 2010 - The state is taking issue with contracts the City of Jersey City recently negotiated with its fire and police unions calling them "simply too expensive."
The City Council was set to vote on the agreements March 10, when the state Department of Community Affairs requested information on the contracts.
The city does not need state approval before signing off on the contracts, but in light of receiving millions in Special Municipal aid from the state the city agreed to the review.
Both contracts offer 3 percent retroactive raises for 2009, 3.3 percent in 2010, 3.4 percent in 2011 and 3.5 percent in 2012, in exchange for changes to the health care coverage that would save the city about $1 million.
In a March 31 letter, Marc Pfeiffer, acting director of the state DCA's Division of Local Government Services, said it was encouraging, "that the parties reached a cost-saving agreement with changes to its outdated, inefficient and expensive health care policy."
But Pfeiffer went on to say the raises, which amount to 13 percent over the life of the contract, "disregards the ability of the employer and, by extension, the taxpayer to pay for it."
"While it may be 'comparable' and consistent with recent settlements of other entities in the area, this contract is simply too expensive and we recommend that the parties go back to the table and negotiate lower increases that are consistent with the city's fiscal condition," he said.
But Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy said in a response letter to Pfeiffer that the unions were not willing to renegotiate the terms and that he will send them to the City Council for a vote, unchanged.
"While I believe our police officers and firefighters deserve every penny, I understand that these salary increases are high in light of our current economic and budgetary situation," Healy said in a statement yesterday.
"However, these agreements also save the city $1 million annually in healthcare givebacks and there is a risk of higher awards if we go to binding arbitration," Healy added. "It will now be up to the City Council to decide whether to approve these contracts."
ONE PHONE CALL, AND A HEROIC RESPONSE IN EDISON
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - January 22, 1010 - Edison was shaken Monday morning.
But thanks to the heroic actions of PSE&G employees, Edison police and firefighters who evacuated about a dozen homes and buildings in the morning darkness — and a passerby who alerted authorities to the trouble — no lives were lost when a natural gas explosion leveled the building at 1700 Route 27.
Our first reaction is to call it a miracle. Yet a closer look at the actions by first responders to the incident prompts us to call it a case of heroism.
Police and firefighters arrived on the scene about 3 a.m. They proceeded to wake up residents — many soundly sleeping, no doubt — who lived in the homes on Route 27 and Ovington Avenue near Knapp Avenue and get them out of harm's way while utility crews faced the danger head-on while working on the leak.
Then, the explosion.
The PSE&G workers got out in a nick of time. It damaged the exterior of adjacent homes and blew debris, including glass and the building's wooden front door, onto the property of a home across the street.
"Once the explosion happened, and once I got up there, the house was in pieces and just blazing," said John Faleski, 22, who lives nearby.
If the residents in the surrounding homes weren't evacuated, and the police and fire departments weren't on the scene to put out the fire that followed the explosion, we shudder to think of what would have happened.
We also shudder to think of what would have happened if the passerby who called authorities when he or she — the person is unknown at this point — smelled gas and discovered a crack in the street didn't make that important call.
It's easy to drive past something irregular — like the smell of gasoline — think of it as odd or out of the norm and just be on your way. It must have been especially easy for the passerby to do so at 3 in the morning. But this good Samaritan — or, better yet, hero — cared enough about his/her fellow man to make the call.
The residents of Edison who live in the homes on Route 27 and Ovington Avenue, near the explosion, would probably like to thank their early morning passerby. We would, too.
LOCAL STUDENTS GET VISIT FROM EDISON'S BRAVEST
Township firefighters stop by Lakeview School
SENTINEL - December 23, 2009 - Staff Students at the Lakeview School in Edison had a chance to meet some real-life heroes last week during the students' annual pizza party.
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Lakeview, which is operated by the Cerebral Palsy Association of Middlesex County, hosted members of the Edison Firefighters Association as part of the day's events. The youngsters also had a chance to view firefighting equipment and a fire engine.
"We've had an association with the Lakeview School for a number of years now," Robert Yackel, president of the Edison Fire Fighters Association, said. "It gives the kids at the school a chance to become more familiar with us."
Diane Giacento, Lakeview School supervisor of education, said the firefighters have been a part of the event for many years.
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"The kids really do enjoy it when the firefighters come down to spend time with them," Giacento said. "They know when the firefighters are coming, and they really do anticipate the visit."
About 10 firemen came down and took the time to talk to the students about their job and the fun they have doing it.
"The biggest thing for these guys is that they want to give back to the community in any way possible," said Doug Kosup, Fire Fighters Association vice president. "These guys come down to the school on their free time and they want to be there. There's been years when we could not accommodate the amount of firefighters that wanted to get involved in the event. It's really great to see that so many of our guys have stepped up over the years."
Giacento said members of the department also come during the fall and give the students an opportunity to play on a fire truck.
"When the weather is warm, sometimes the kids can play with the hose and spray just a little bit of water," Giacento said. "For these guys to come here year after year, it really does mean a lot to our students."
The school has about 180 students and is a private special-education facility.
DON'T BLAME POLICE, FIRE FOR BUDGET WOES
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - December 23, 2009 - Once again, a recent editorial reeks of political rhetoric by a very brainwashed writer. Fortunately for mankind, most residents understand public safety, the true purpose of government and the unfortunate game of politics. The editor, on the other hand, sides with the personally motivated politicians that continually blame every financial issue a municipality may face on municipal workers in an effort create a diversion to try and cover their own antics.
These critics fail to acknowledge that a municipality's sole purpose is to provide a service. Not to manufacture a product and create a profit, but to make sure that residents are protected from fire, the streets are safe for children, roads are maintained and that garbage is picked up. That is why municipal budgets are 75 percent salaries and wages.
It is laughable for this writer to try and make Woodbridge Fire Commissioner Ken Gardner out to be some sort of hero. He is a fire commissioner with a personal agenda. What is even more ridiculous is how the editor thinks that working for a newspaper has made him some sort of public safety expert. The editor should get his facts from fire service professionals and the residents who spoke at the recent commissioners meeting and not some wannabe mayor who admits that as a volunteer firefighter he picks and chooses which fire calls he responds to. If all public safety officers picked and chose their calls based on initial dispatch information, our neighborhoods would look like Beirut. I wonder if in the next editorial the editor will take the advice of a video game geek and tell members of NASA how to fly a space shuttle?
While spewing even more nonsense, the editor tries to make it sound like blaming public safety professionals is an admirable thing and makes someone a bit of a lone ranger. Allow me to remind you of recent events in Middlesex County. The last mayor who actually laid police officers off was Mayor Joe Vas. In addition, Mayor Vas also threatened to lay firefighters off, blaming all of Perth Amboy's financial troubles on the public safety officers. Most of us will agree that we have learned that the hard working police and firefighters in Perth Amboy weren't the problem at all.
Additionally, the writer wants to blame police and firefighter families for ending political careers. Maybe the editor was alluding to recent elections in Edison, where Mayor Choi lost his re-election bid after completely decimating public safety while implementing double-digit tax increases. The voters should get the credit for this. The average citizen respects the job that police and fire professionals do and are tired of hearing mayors continually blame these men and women for budget gaps, when in fact the problem is mismanagement, incompetence, political motives and corruption.
While every tax dollar is important, the fire district tax is minimal when compared to other portions of the tax bill such as the Board of Education. Maybe Mr. Gardner's efforts would be better utilized if he was to seek election to the Board of Education, but something tells me he wouldn't be so eager blame the school budget deficit on the hard-working teachers of Woodbridge Township, and rightfully so.
Scott Law
Second Vice President
Edison Professional Firefighters Association, Local 1197
Edison
EDISON UNVEILS $5M PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY
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NJ.COM - December 1, 2009 - Township officials finally unveiled a decades-in-the-making, $5 million public safety facility in the Raritan Center business park today — though only part of the building’s operation is ready to open.
Officials lauded the 17,045-square-foot, gray facility as the first public safety center erected in the state’s fifth-largest town in almost 30 years.
“This is an historic moment on an historic day,” Mayor Jun Choi said during today’s ceremonies, attended by about two dozen people, including Mayor-elect Antonio Ricigliano, town council members and safety officials, Raritan Center executives and the superintendent of the state police. “It’s a long-time coming. Edison will now be safer because this station will be open.”
The project, in talks since the late 1970s, has been a major initiative of Choi’s tenure, and today’s ribbon-cutting came in the final month of his administration.
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The center is slated to include a fire station, police substation and an emergency service unit. It will be the seventh fire station and fourth EMS station covering Edison, a sprawling suburb of 1000,000 people.
But staffing issues continue — a problem that has delayed the facility’s opening, which town officials originally promised would happen a year ago.
Though emergency service workers are set to man the building beginning this week and the fire department has already used the facility for training, officials said they aren’t sure when firefighters and police officers will move in.
“Why dedicate a fire house if you don’t have anyone to put in it?” asked Robert Yackel, president of the Edison fire union and long a vocal critic of Choi.
Yackel fears Edison Fire Chief Norman Jensen is planning to staff the building by transferring firefighters from the nearby Clara Barton fire station.
“No matter where they take them from, they’re reducing fire protection in other areas of the town,” Yackel said.
But Jensen said he’s still working on a staffing plan. And he noted the new building will not only protect Raritan Center — a sprawling cluster of office buildings, warehouses and hotels — but also surrounding sections of town, such as Clara Barton, Menlo Park and the Route 1 corridor.
Jensen also hopes the town will hire more firefighters next year — something Ricigliano said she’ll consider after taking office next month. Ricigliano said the town is down about 50 fire and police workers.
The police department, which will only keep a small portion of its force at the building, is waiting for the Edison council to approve furniture before moving into the building. The plan is to have a detective bureau at the facility, and maybe a narcotics operation.
The center’s construction was funded by the Frank Visceglia Foundation, a non-profit charity named after the father of Peter Visceglia, president of Federal Business Centers, one of Raritan Center’s owners. Federal Business Centers also donated a $500,000 fire pumper truck and a $100,000 ambulance.
“When I look at something like this, it’s going to be a great home for police, firefighters and EMS workers,” said Col. Joseph Fuentes, head of the state police.
RICIGLIANO SAYS PROMISES WILL BE KEPT
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - November 15, 2009 - Thank you to the voters of Edison Township for their faith and confidence in our candidacy. We ran a spirited campaign, always addressing the needs and issues that face our residents.
From the beginning it was made clear that no promises would be made that could not be fulfilled. Therefore, the only promises made were that the truth would always be told; that your tax dollars would be protected as we protect our personal earnings/monies; that saving tax dollars would start at the top, with the mayor's office; that residents and employees would always be treated with respect and dignity; that politics has no place in public office and will not be tolerated.
Once the Oath of Office is administered, those of us fortunate enough to be elected are there only to serve the public whether you voted for us or not. These promises were made because these are promises that can and will be kept.
Again, thank you for being part of history, that of electing the first woman mayor of Edison Township. I look forward meeting the challenges of the next four years with your help and encouragement. See you in Town Hall on Jan. 1, 2010.
TONI RICIGLIANO
Mayor-elect
BOB DIEHL
Councilman
TOM LANKEY
CHARLIE TOMARO
Edison
EDISON MAYOR-ELECT MAKING PLANS TO ABOLISH SOME MEASURES PREDECESSOR PUT FORTH
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - November 4, 2009 - New Mayor-elect Toni Ricigliano plans to turn the clock back on some of the key initiatives put forward by the administration of Mayor Jun Choi, whom she defeated in the Democratic primary.
Ricigliano and Choi represented the two factions of a divided Democratic party in Edison, which battled it out in a tight race in June. Ricigliano sealed her win Tuesday night with a more than 4,000-vote margin over Republican Dennis Pipala.
As councilwoman, Ricigliano had voted against several key measures including creating an independent redevelopment agency, the hiring of a civilian police director, changing the mayor's position to a full-time one with a salary increase and curtailing the public's time to speak at Township Council meetings.
All those measures were adopted with a majority of four votes in the deeply divided council.
As mayor, Ricigliano said, she can finally "take the bull by the horns.
"With the redevelopment agency, my plan is that it not be funded, which means it becomes ineffective," she said.
Civilian Police Director Brian Collier, who was appointed by Choi, announced his resignation shortly after Choi's loss in the primary.
"The police director is gone, so that's not an issue anymore," Ricigliano said.
When the mayor's position was changed from part-time to full-time, the council also voted to raise the salary from $49,000 to $75,000.
Ricigliano was one of the most vocal opponents of the salary increase, and had said it should be up to the voters to decide on any increase in salary.
During her campaign for mayor, she promised to take a pay cut if elected. She did not specify if she intends to go back to the original salary of $49,000.
"I am going to meet with my transition team and family and make a formal announcement on that soon," she said Wednesday.
Amid robust opposition, the Township Council voted to impose reduced time limits of 4 minutes on members of the public who wished to speak at council meetings.
Ricigliano noted that the time limit ordinance is the council's initiative.
"However, as mayor, I will urge council members to rescind that ordinance and I will ask for that formally," she said.
She intends to spend the next two months putting together a transition team and begin work on the 2010 budget, which is due the second week of February. The township changed from a fiscal year budget to a calendar year budget few months ago.
"And then there's the state of the township address, I have to put that together," she said.
Ricigliano also plans to ask Choi to stop any further hiring or promotions in municipal departments during the next two months and that he leave those decisions to her new administration.
Choi congratulated Ricigliano on her win Wednesday and offered to hold transition meetings, if she is interested.
COUNCILWOMEN ELECTED AS NEW MAYOR OF EDISON
SENTINEL - November 4, 2009 - Following her huge upset of incumbent Mayor Jun Choi in the Democratic mayoral primary five months ago, Township Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano finished her rise to the top by soundly defeating Republican Dennis Pipala on Tuesday night by a count of 12,186 votes to 8,000. The victory makes her the first female leader in township history.
Ricigliano’s slate, current councilman Robert Diehl (11,483), newcomer Thomas Lankey (11,099) and former councilman Charles Tomaro (11,313), also won over their Republican counterparts, newcomers Lori Bonderowitz (7,884), Mary Lou Resner (7,995) and Norman Van Houten (7,704).
By the time the polls closed at 8 p.m., there were already more than 100 people milling about inside and outside Ricigliano’s Route 1 campaign headquarters. Once the results started coming in, there was little doubt as to who Edison’s next mayor was going to be.
About an hour later, Ricigliano and her slate came out to deliver a victory speech to their supporters “We’re back,” Tomaro exclaimed, eliciting a roar from the overflow crowd. “We returned and really kicked some [butt] tonight.
Ricigliano then took over as emcee for the event and admitted that even she was surprised at the momentum she picked up along the way.
“Even before the primary, it looked like all of this wouldn’t happen. But all of you people just kept it going,” Ricigliano said. “Now it’s time to fix things in Edison Township, and that won’t be easy. I just want to make sure that our town is safe. That to me is a huge priority.”
Tomaro then told a story about his chance meeting two days before Election Day with former Republican candidate Raymond Koperwhats, who dropped out of the mayoral race soon after the June primary.
“I asked Koperwhats if he was ready for a landslide,” Tomaro said. “I guess we all got our answer tonight.”
Also on hand for the festivities was Thomas Paterniti, longtime chairman of the township’s Democratic organization.
“I am so glad that Toni and her slate won tonight,” Paterniti said. “Everybody came through and everybody delivered. Without the people’s support, this would not have been possible.”
Newcomer Lankey said he is looking forward to working with the rest of the council on making Edison a better place.
“This is definitely the most satisfying thing I have ever done in my life,” Lankey said. “Edison is back and I know the people in this town are happy as hell.”
After the winners were done celebrating at headquarters, it was on to the Pines Manor, where many county Democrats congratulated Ricigliano as she led the way in with all of her supporters close behind, chanting her name.
“It’s such a range of emotions for me really,” Ricigliano said. “I was nervous all day, right up until the polls closed. So many people told me that it was over back in June but I never let up. Something like tonight was too important for me to let up on.”
Diehl felt the same way, saying that the day of an election is “always a unique experience.”
“The way today has gone on, I couldn’t be happier,” Diehl said.
Ricigliano’s only disappointment on her big day was that as of 11 p.m. on election night, three hours after the polls had closed, Pipala still had not officially conceded the race.
“I’m a little surprised that he has not reached out to me,” Ricigliano said. “If I was in his position, I would at the very least call and congratulate him.”
RICIGLIANO BECOMES EDISON'S FIRST WOMAN MAYOR
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NJ.COM - November 3, 2009 - Antonia Ricigliano, the two-term town councilman who snagged a stunning victory over the incumbent mayor in the Democratic primary, capped her campaign by becoming Edison’s first woman mayor last night.
Ricigliano beat Republican Dennis Pipala, chairman of the town’s planning board, to gain control of the state’s fifth-largest town.
The 71-year-old also led her slate of Democratic town council candidates to victory. Incumbent Robert Diehl, newcomer Thomas Lankey and former council president Charles Tomaro beat a group of Republican newcomers running with Pipala: Lori Bonderowitz, Mary Lou Resner and Norman Van Houten.
Ricigliano succeeds one-term incumbent Jun Choi, whom she snatched the Democratic nomination from in June’s bitter, dramatic primary.
Choi charged Ricigliano as being a member of the Democratic old guard that he tried reform in Edison — one that he said was tied to special interests and overdevelopment.
But Ricigliano vowed to cut the over-spending and reform the dishonest government that she said characterized Choi’s four years in office, causing taxes to rise.
She also had the robust backing of the town’s police and fire unions and the support of the county Democratic party.
Her victory over Choi made her the heavy frontrunner for mayor, because Democrats outnumber Republicans 25,000 to 6,000 in the township. Residents haven’t elected a Republican mayor in 50 years.
Pipala, her GOP opponent, stepped in last-minute when Ray Koperwhats pulled out shortly after winning the Republican primary.
A former board of education member, the 66-year-old Pipala was a long-time independent who helped run Choi’s victorious mayoral campaign in 2005.
In turn, Ricigliano — who has served on the town planning board under Pipala — painted her opponent as a puppet of Choi.
Otherwise, the general election proved to be significantly less heated than the primary, devoid of protests outside of town hall and major verbal attacks in the media.
Pipala blamed that partially on the lack of money his campaign was able to raise to take on Edison’s Democratic machine. Recent campaign numbers showed he raised about $11,000; Ricigliano raised about $66,000.
Now, Ricigliano inherits what she and her opponent agreed was the biggest issue facing Edison: troubled finances. Officials recently switched the town budget cycle from a fiscal to a calendar year to help solve an $8.4 million budget gap.
Ricigliano has promised to reduce the size of government and take a pay cut. The town council voted to boost the mayor’s salary from $49,000 to $75,000 last year, and they made the position full-time this year.
Ricigliano also beat two independent candidates for mayor: Joseph A. Coyle and Peter Cerrato, both local businessmen.
With the victory of all three of her runningmates, the seven-member Edison council remains completely Democratic. But it will still be divided, since the three council members aligned with Choi have two more years on their terms.
UPDATE: DEMOCRAT RICIGLIANO ELECTED MAYOR IN EDISON
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - November 3, 2009 - For the first time in Edison history, a woman will be mayor.
Democrat Antonia "Toni'' Ricigliano marched to victory Tuesday night after a year-long battle that started with ousting incumbent Mayor Jun Choi in the Democratic primary before wrestling the seat from Republican challenger Dennis Pipala in Tuesday's general election.
"It truly feels wonderful to be the first woman mayor in Edison,'' a victorious Ricigliano said Tuesday night. "We have a lot of work ahead of us and I'm up to the task,'' she said.
Ricigliano got 12,186 votes, an overwhelming lead of 4,186 votes over Pipala who got 8,000 votes. Absentee ballots are not included in this count.
The three council candidates on Ricigliano's ticket were also voted into power … incumbent Councilman Robert Diehl got 11,483 votes, Thomas Lankey got 11,099 votes and Charles Tomaro got 11,313 votes.
"I'm excited about Toni's election and about moving Edison in a different direction,'' Diehl said Tuesday night.
Ricigliano, 70, has served as a councilwoman for two non-consecutive terms. She campaigned on her history of being a "vocal opponent of increased spending'' and fighting "very vigorously for taxpayers, even going off the party line.''
Ricigliano became an unexpected frontrunner in the mayoral race after a dramatic win over Choi in a bitterly-fought June primary.
After that it was relatively smooth sailing. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 25,536 to 6,102 voters giving Ricigliano an edge. Still, her supporters left no stone unturned in ensuring her win on Tuesday.
"I had an army out there working the districts (on Tuesday),'' said Robert Yackel, President of the Edison fire union, referring to members of his union who "worked very, very hard along with the police union to help her win.''
"It's been a long, long ten months,'' Yackel said Tuesday night. The fire and police unions, vocal critics of the Choi administration, threw their support behind Ricigliano after the local Democratic party announced her as its candidate for mayor.
A steady stream of supporters filed into Ricigliano's campaign headquarters off Route 1 to join in the celebrations, which started immediately after polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
"I am very, very delighted,'' said Thomas Paterniti, chairman of the Edison Democratic party of the results. "Edison is going to be headed in a very positive direction under Ricigliano's leadership.''
Paterniti was also filled with praise for the three council candidates on Ricigliano's ticket, including his son-in-law, Tomaro, who were elected Tuesday.
"Toni Ricigliano ran a clean campaign based on the issues,'' said Burton Gimelstob, another Ricigliano supporter. "She will bring back basics and common sense to Edison municipal government,'' he said.
Also on the ballot were independent mayoral candidates Peter Cerrato, who got 464 votes and Joseph Coyle, who got 411 votes.
Council candidates Lori Bonderowitz got 7,884 votes, Mary Lou Resner got 7,995 votes, Norman Van Houten got 7,704 votes, Joseph M. Coyle got 533 votes, Jay Schlesinger got 466 votes and Courtney Johnson got 458 votes.
Edison voters however strayed away from conventional Democratic turf in the gubernatorial race giving Republican candidate Chris Christie an 817-vote lead over incumbent Gov. Jon S. Corzine in the township.
Corzine got 9,840 votes, Christie got 10,657 votes and Chris Daggett got 1,429 votes in Edison.
On the open space question, 6,308 candidates voted for it and 7,334 voted against it.
Turnout was relatively strong with about 40 percent of total registered voters casting their vote on Tuesday.
EDISON POLICE DIRECTOR WILL RESIGN AT END OF '09
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NJ.COM - September 21, 2009 - Edison Police Director Brian Collier said he will resign at the end of the year, less than two years after his controversial appointment to clean up the town’s troubled police department.
Collier said his reason for stepping down is two-fold: The department is in better shape, and his departure would save the town money in tight financial times.
“I always considered my role transformational and transitional,” said Collier, 53. “It makes institutional and economic sense to step down.”
Instead of filling a vacant chief position, Mayor Jun Choi appointed Collier, a former federal drug enforcement agent, as the civilian director of the 200-officer force in March of last year.
Collier was charged with scrubbing a department plagued with scandals and mired in internal politics for years. CBS’ “60 Minutes” broadcast a segment critical of the department in 2000.
But many opposed the move, including dozens of police officers. Michael Schwarz, president of the Edison police union, said Collier would be “a middleman to do the mayor’s dirty work.”
Schwarz declined comment today.
Collier denied that his resignation is linked to the political shake-up in Edison. Choi lost his bid for re-election when Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano snagged the Democratic nomination for mayor in the June primary. The Edison police union backed Ricigliano.
“I don’t pay much mind to political situations,” Collier said.
Township spokesmen Jerry Barca said that in the wake of the primary, “it’s only natural we will see some leadership transitioning.”
Collier, a former police officer in Hillsdale, was hired at a salary of $165,000. And nine months later, Edison added a chief to the force when Collier promoted Deputy Chief Thomas Bryan to oversee the department’s day-to-day operations at a salary of $160,000.
But Edison officials have said for months that the state’s fifth-largest township faces steep financial shortfalls. Collier suggests they eliminate his position at year’s end and leave Bryan in charge of the force.
“I think the department is on pretty darn good footing,” Collier said.
But whether Edison hires a new police director, he said, is up to the mayor and town council. Wayne Mascola, the council’s vice president, said it’s likely town officials will eliminate the position.
In his resignation letter to Choi, Collier touted a long list of accomplishments during the last 18 months with Edison: the reorganization of the command staff, revamped hiring practices, beefing up internal affairs, equipping officers with ballistic shields.
“There has been so much accomplishment,” Bryan said. “More so in the past year-and-a-half than in the past 20 years.”
Added Choi: “Edison has been tremendously fortunate to have Brian Collier lead its police department. We are forever grateful.”
Still, Collier’s tenure hasn’t been without trouble. Multiple officers have sued the department over discrimination issues. A veteran officer was charged with shoplifting.
“That’s certainly a big concern,” Collier said of the issues. “But I’m confident the chief and I have that well in hand.”
Collier said he is considering a few options after leaving Edison, but he would not elaborate.
EDISON TO REHIRE SIX FIREFIGHTERS TWO MONTHS AFTER LAYOFFS
NJ.COM - September 11, 2009 - Township officials have voted to rehire six firefighters, two months after laying them off as the town struggled with financial troubles.
But the Edison fire union vows to continue fighting the town in court, claiming that the layoffs were the result of political retribution.
Edison Mayor Jun Choi laid off the men in July after announcing the state's fifth-largest town faced an $8.4 million budget gap. He said he imposed the layoffs after the fire union refused to negotiate with town officials on ways to slash spending.
But Edison officials are in the middle of switching the town's budget from a fiscal to a calendar year -- a move some say will buy time to fix municipal finances.
"This puts the town in a much better position," said Anthony Cancro, Edison's business administrator.
The state local finance board approved the switch Wednesday. Edison officials then reinstated the firefighters at Thursday night's council meeting, as part of a transitional $62.5 million budget that will carry the town through the end of the year, when the switch takes affect.
The men could return to work as early as next week, and will receive retroactive pay, minus any unemployment they received from the state, Cancro said.
"Nobody wants to see anybody laid off, especially in hard times," Council Vice President Wayne Mascola said. "Changing to the calendar year helped facilitate this quicker."
Both fire union and township officials are scheduled to be in Superior Court in New Brunswick on Sept. 30 for a hearing on whether Edison imposed the layoffs in good faith.
Re-instating the men, fire union president Robert Yackel said, won't cause him to drop the case.
"This is exactly what we said it was: political retribution, plain and simple," Yackel said today. "They used this as a ploy to get the council to support the calendar-year budget."
Union officials charge that Choi ordered the layoffs because the union backed his opponent, Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano, in June's Democratic primary. Ricigliano wrested the party's nomination from the mayor away from the one-term incumbent.
The six firefighters were the only employees laid off after Choi warned that as many as 75 workers could lose their jobs if the town's 11 unions didn't agree to wage freezes, furloughs or other concessions.
The Edison council still has to adopt the transitional budget. A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 8.
Officials then have until Feb. 10 to introduce a 2010 budget -- which is projected to be about $130 million, said Mark Acker, Edison's chief financial officer.
Municipal taxes will rise slightly under the transitional budget. The average homeowner will pay more $25 more in the third quarter, Acker said. But the fourth quarter will see no increase, he said.
EDISON CLAIMS RETALIATION AFTER ACCUSING SUPERIOR OF USING SLUR AT SCENE OF WRECK
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - August 26, 2009 - A township police officer is suing the township for violation of whistleblower and age discrimination laws after he tried to bring to the attention of the police department the alleged response of his superior during an auto accident last year.
Patrolman Joseph Kenney filed the lawsuit last month, which stems from his allegation of Sgt. Alex Glinsky's response to an accident scene at Cedar Lane on July 3, 2008.
Kenney had alleged that Glinsky ignored Kenney's request for help and said, "There's dirty (expletive) Indians in the car, and I'm not going in there."
Kenney reportedly dragged Kapil Goel, the driver of the car, to safety. The crash killed Goel's passengers, Karan Bhandari and Amarinder Cheema, both 24. Goel, 25, was charged with drunken driving and pled guilty last month to two counts of vehicular homicide.
After Kenney confronted Glinsky the day after the accident in front of other officers, the township suspended Kenney for several months and filed disciplinary charges against him for insubordination, according to the lawsuit. Those charges were eventually dismissed because the township did not file the complaint within the required time window.
An investigation by the police department's internal affairs unit revealed no proof that Glinsky did anything wrong at the scene.
Kenney and his wife, Robin, are seeking compensatory damages through a civil action lawsuit filed in Middlesex County Superior Court last month, which names the township, the police department, Police Director Brian Collier, Police Chief Thomas Bryan, Glinsky, Lt. Gregory Formica and several John Does.
Kenney's lawyer, Theodore Campbell of New Brunswick, said Wednesday that Kenney was being targeted by the township because he was an older employee. Kenney is 58.
The lawsuit claims that Mayor Jun Choi reportedly told union officials at a meeting in 2008 that he wanted to reduce the employment roll by getting rid of the older employees.
The lawsuit also claims that, shortly after the incident, Chief Bryan and Director Collier suggested to Kenney that he retire from the force.
Campbell said the township violated whistleblower laws, which protect an employee for trying to bring to attention to his superiors anytime a fellow employee or superior does anything against the law or public policy.
"The township placed Kenney on administrative leave, when he tried to bring to attention the incident," Campbell said.
Township spokesman Jerry Barca said, "The township will vigorously defend itself in this case, but because of the pending litigation, at the moment I must decline further comment on this issue."
A civil suit usually takes one or two years to be processed, Campbell said.
EDISON LOOKING TO MOVE CALENDAR YEAR TO REDUCE IMPACT OF POSSIBLE LAYOFFS
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - July 10, 2009 - The administration is putting forward an alternate solution of moving from a fiscal year to a calendar year, to reduce the impact of potential layoffs proposed, if furlough and wage freezes are not met by municipal unions.
"We are looking for other solutions to reduce the severity of whatever impact there might have been from our announcement on June 16,'' township Business Administrator Anthony Cancro said.
On June 16, the administration had said that up to 75 municipal employees could face layoffs, starting July 16, if municipal unions do not comply with a 12-day furlough and wage freeze.
However, the proposed alternate solution of a calendar year will not be in effect until the township gets approval from the state Department of Community Affairs in August.
Asked how an August decision could factor into potential layoffs, Cancro said, "We have to prepare for the worst-case scenario; we have to presume parallel paths.''
No further details were provided on impending layoffs.
Cancro said that except for the four police and fire unions, the administration has heard from and is working out solutions with the remaining seven unions.
The police and fire unions have had a long-standing disagreement with the administration and refused to negotiate.
Moving to a calendar year will enable the current administration to pass a transitional six-month budget until December, which will have a tax levy not more than 52.5 percent of the fiscal 2009 levy.
"The transitional budget will be benefited on revenue side primarily from received state aid; the majority comes to all towns during July to December,'' township Chief Financial Officer Mark Acker said.
Acker said the township is expecting about $19 million in state aid, and at least $18 million will apply to the six-month budget.
A new administration will take over in January, following a June Democratic primary loss for the incumbent Mayor Jun Choi.
The new administration will be responsible for the calendar year 2010 budget, which starts in January.
Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano, who won the mayoral Democratic primary in June, said that while moving to a calendar year is not such a bad idea, she was concerned about the timing.
"I don't think it's fair to whatever administration comes in January; it's virtually impossible to do a budget in the first week or two in office,'' she said in a phone interview Friday.
The Township Council on Wednesday unanimously introduced a resolution to change from fiscal to calendar year.
A vote to adopt the resolution is scheduled for July 22.
If adopted by the council, it will then go to the state for approval, Acker said.
Acker said the state requires the township to provide a transitional six-month budget, a projected calendar year 2010 budget and cash flow projections for the whole 18-month period to the DCA by July 29.
Ricigliano said it is important that before going to a vote, the council be provided with all the information that the township sends to the state.
"If they give me the information, which is highly unlikely, I may vote for it,'' she said.
EDISON FIRE DEPARTMENT LACKS WORKING FIRE TRUCKS
NJ.COM - July 9, 2009 - Both of Edison Fire Department's ladder trucks are out of commission, causing residents and firefighters to fear what would happen should a blaze break out in a tall building.
Ladder tucks feature long, mechanical ladders that rise off the truck to reach high levels.
One of Edison's trucks has been out for three months with busted hydraulics. The department is still waiting for a replacement part that won't be shipped until next Wednesday, a delay Edison Fire Chief Norman Jensen blames on the fact the truck's maker went bankrupt.
The second truck is undergoing suspension repairs. Jensen said he doesn't know when either will be functional again.
"They will be on the road as soon as we get them fixed," Jensen said at Wednesday's Edison
Council meeting, where a few residents voiced concerns over the issue.
The chief isn't fazed. He said fire departments from surrounding towns with ladder trucks are on call until then.
"If a fire breaks out -- a real fire -- in any building of any size, we would call and have the truck," Jensen said.
Edison still has seven fire pumper trucks manned by paid firefighters and three pumpers staffed by volunteers, three brush trucks and two fire rescue trucks, Jensen said. All trucks have ground ladders.
Still, Edison fire union president Robert Yackel -- long a critic of Jensen -- said the lack of ladder trucks is dangerous. He said many of the township's firefighters are concerned for their and the public's safety.
Yackel said ladder trucks help ventilate buildings, opening up the roof so smoke doesn't spill out, thus preventing back drafts. And relying on other towns is too risky, he added.
"By the time they figure out where they're going and get there, it's over," Yackel said. "It's a huge delay."
Jensen, however, said the taller the building, the less need for a ladder.
"Once the fire gets past the seventh floor, a ladder truck won't do you good," the chief said. "It only goes up 100 feet. We fight those fires inside."
Meanwhile, the long-delayed opening of the $5 million public safety building in Raritan Center hit another snag at the council meeting. The council refused to vote on a resolution authorizing $28,871 in state capital funds to pay for furniture at the complex, which was scheduled to open in December but still hasn't opened.
Council members said they were concerned there are no immediate plans to staff the complex.
"I am not going to vote for furnish an empty building," Councilman Robert Diehl said. "Especially in times like this."
Edison is struggling to close an $8.4 million gap in its upcoming budget -- a shortfall that could lead to layoffs.
But the money for the furniture comes from capital funds and cannot be transferred elsewhere.
Jensen said he will now use the money to refurbish other fire houses.
The chief said his plan is to staff the building with two fire trucks with two men and two ambulances. The complex could open within the next 30-60 days, said Anthony Cancro, the town's business administrator.
But Jensen said the failed resolution could push back the opening of the complex even further.
The council also unanimously voted to introduce a resolution to switch Edison's budget from a fiscal to a calendar year -- a move Mayor Jun Choi's administration said could buy time to fix the town's money problems.
Next will come a public hearing, not yet scheduled, Council President AnneMarie Griffin-Ussak said.
Because the fiscal year started July 1, Edison is currently running on a temporary three-month budget until officials introduce a final spending plan, possibly by September.
But if the council votes to switch to a calendar year, the town would run on a transitional six-month budget until December. Then, the next administration would introduce a budget early next year.
EDISON LOOKING TO SWITCH BUDGET CALENDAR
NJ.COM - July 7, 2009 - In the grips of a financial shortfall that may lead to layoffs, Edison officials are considering switching from a fiscal to calendar year to buy more time to solve the issue.
The township faces an $8.4 million gap in its upcoming budget, according to projections by Mayor Jun Choi's administration.
Because the fiscal year began July 1, the Edison council passed a temporary three-month budget to tide the town over until officials introduce a final spending plan -- which could come as early as September.
But switching to a calendar year -- an option officials started to consider in the last week -- would negate that. The town would run on a transitional six-month budget until the end of December. Then, officials would have until Feb. 10 to introduce a 2010 budget.
"It really does buy more time for the administration to smooth out bumps between now and the end of the calendar year," Anthony Cancro, the town's business administrator, said today.
"Then, it gives the next administration more time to plan their budget."
This will be Choi's final budget. He lost the Democratic nomination for mayor to councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano last month. The candidate who wins the general election in November would preside over the calendar year budget.
The proposed switch comes amid Choi's call for the town's 10 unions to accept furloughs and wage freezes to help close the budget gap. If they didn't accept or offer other solutions by last Thursday, Choi said, up to 75 municipal employees could lose their jobs beginning July 16.
All but four of the unions have spoken with the administration, township spokesman Jerry Barca said, but he would not confirm whether that means layoffs are imminent.
Officials also would not say if switching to a calendar year would avoid layoffs.
"I think this is a viable solution that deserves our consideration," Cancro said.
The town moved to a fiscal year budget in the early 1990s.
The transitional six-month budget allows the town to spend up to 62 1/2 percent of the 2009 fiscal spending plan, which was $118 million.
It could also mean a slight increase in taxes. Edison is allowed to impose up to 52 1/2 percent of last year's tax levy for the transitional spending plan. And if they impose the maximum amount, homeowners would pay 2 1/2 percent more in taxes over the next six months, said Mark Acker, Edison's chief financial officer. Acker said final numbers are not ready.
The town's state aid kicks in during the transitional period, as well.
The Edison council will discuss the switch at Wednesday night's council meeting. A public hearing could follow later this month.
Ricigliano is cautious of the plan. "Yes, you want to see things turn around right away," the two-term councilwoman said. "The reality is: I don't know if that's going to happen. It just seems like we don't have enough answers."
FATHER OF EDISON FATAL-CRASH DRIVER CALLS FOR PROBE OF ALLEGED COP BIAS
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - July 7, 2009 - The father of Kapil Goel, who pleaded guilty Tuesday to vehicular homicide in a car crash that killed his two roommates, is seeking an independent investigation into allegations that a police officer refused to help the three Indian American victims because of their race.
"I just want to find out the truth," said Dr. Chajju Mal Goel, who asked the Township Council to allow an inquiry into the charges.
Patrolman Joseph Kenney and Sgt. Alex Glinsky of the Edison Police Department were the first responders to the accident scene at Cedar Lane on July 3, 2008.
Kenney reportedly dragged Goel, the driver of the car, to safety. The crash killed Goel's passengers, Karan Bhandari and Amarinder Cheema, both 24.
CHOI OUTSPENT HIS CHALLENGER IN LOSING REELECTION BID
NJ.COM - June 30, 2009 - Antonia Ricigliano's campaign was outspent nearly two-to-one when she upset Edison Mayor Jun Choi in this month's bitter Democratic primary battle, according to state election records.
Choi, the one-term incumbent, and his slate of council candidates spent $505,988 in the race.
In her solo account, Ricigliano, a two-term councilwoman backed by the township Democratic organization, shelled out $125,518 en route to beating Choi by 604 votes.
But that number includes only a small part of the $160,276 spent by her running-mates who won council seats, Robert Diehl, Thomas Lankey and Charles Tomaro, under a joint account called "Edison Dems 2009."
In total, Ricigliano and her candidates spent $273,016.
"I honestly believe our message was clear," Ricigliano said yesterday. "It doesn't surprise me he out-spent me. I just didn't know it was by that much."
Choi and Ricigliano were fighting to win the nomination for the mayor's post in the state's fifth-largest town -- a job made full-time this year with a salary of $75,000.
Choi said his campaign's fund raising stretched over a three-and-a-half-year period since he was elected in 2005. Ricigliano's account dates back to November.
Choi's election fund spent $413,692. Another fund, "Citizens for Edison's Future," supported him and his losing council candidates -- Rachel Callen, Edward Fitzgerald and Meiling Kravarik -- and spent $92,296.
In 2005, when he raised $236,132 en route to beating then-mayor George Spadoro for the Democratic nomination, Choi was the one outspent in the race. Spadoro and his council candidates then shelled out $519,729.
Ricigliano's largest contribution came from the Edison Democratic Organization, which gave her $28,964. The Middlesex County Democratic Organization gave $7,000 to the local party.
Choi did not seek the support of the Edison Democratic Organization, saying he was trying to wipe out the political machinery of the local party.
Since Edison is heavily Democratic, Ricigliano is the favorite in November's general election.
Her Republican opponent is still unknown. Ray Koperwhats, the GOP's original candidate, withdrew from the race shortly after winning the primary unopposed. Sylvia Engel, chairwoman of the township Republican organization, said they should have a replacement within the next few weeks.
Ricigliano said she isn't sure how much she will spend to win the general election.
"I think it depends on who our opponent is," she said.
JUDGE RULES PERTH AMBOY'S EMTS WILL STAY ON JOB
NJ.COM - June 30, 2009 - Ten full-time emergency medical service employees who were scheduled to be laid off at midnight will now keep their jobs.
After a six-hour hearing today in Middlesex County Superior Court in New Brunswick, Assignment Judge Travis L. Francis ruled that Perth Amboy may not enter a contract with Raritan Bay Medical Center, said James Monica, of Kroll Heineman LLC, who represented the EMS employees.
Monica said the EMT's union filed a complaint to stop the city from entering the contract. Monica argued the city violated New Jersey public contract bidding laws when it awarded the contract without soliciting bids.
Jane Feigenbaum, business administrator of Perth Amboy said the city will appeal the decision. She said no additional bids were sought because the transfer of services would not have cost the city any additional money.
City attorney Mark Blunda said according to public contract law, the city only has to solicit bids if the items or services have an annual cost of $17,500 or more.
"The reality is there are no additional costs," Feigenbaum said, noting the city would make about $21,000 from renting garage space to Raritan Bay Medical Center.
On May 28, dozens protested the corresponding layoffs before a council meeting. At that meeting, the city council voted to enter a five-year contract with Raritan Bay Medical Center, a move that Feigenbaum said would save the city $425,000 this year.
Susan Bodnar, one of the city's 10 full-time employees scheduled to lose her job, was thrilled with the court's decision.
"We look forward to providing the same service we've been providing. We hope we can work with the city to keep our jobs."
Monica said the union also filed complaints with the Public Employment Relations Commission and the Civil Service Commission. The cases are separate and will be heard over the next several months, he said.
"As of now, the workers will resume like nothing ever happened," said Monica. "If an individual resident calls for EMT services, they will be serviced by Perth Amboy EMTs. It will continue until PERC or the CSC tells us otherwise."
Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz has previously argued that the move was necessary, and was part of the city's cost-reduction efforts to address a fiscal crisis, which has involved a 26 percent tax increase.
Blunda said it is likely the city workers will eventually be laid off. "I think ultimately the agreement with Raritan Bay will go forward," he said. "This is just a temporary stay."
EDISON EMT CHALLENGES SUSPENSION ISSUED OVER 'MILITARY STATUS MISREPRESENTATION'
NJ.COM - June 29, 2009 - A township emergency medical technician is challenging a three-and-a-half-month suspension he was issued for insubordination, unauthorized absence and misrepresentation of military status.
In March, the township denied Randy Rivera's request for 13 hours off that he said he needed for military service.
Rivera took the unauthorized day off on March 13 and went to the Army National Guard office in Woodbridge to re-enlist, which took a few hours in the morning, he said.
"I asked for 13 hours — one full day's leave — because I didn't know how long it would take, when it was done in few hours, I called and took the second half off as a personal day," Rivera said.
The township paid him for that day.
Shortly after, the township suspended Rivera — with pay — on March 18 until the conclusion of a disciplinary hearing, when Rivera was charged with insubordination, unauthorized absence and misrepresentation of military status.
He was then suspended for 60 days without pay.
The township said Rivera was suspended because "he misrepresented what he was going for and how much time it would take."
Fire Chief Norman Jensen explained that Rivera told them he needed 13 hours off to go to Fort Dix, when actually he was just going to Woodbridge to re-enlist.
"We always support the military and give our employees time off for that," Jensen said Friday. The township is obligated to pay up to eight hours of time, or the difference the individual doesn't get paid for eight hours of time served in the military that day.
Rivera later filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor, claiming a violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
The U.S. Department of Labor issued a letter to the township on April 29 advising that the township "take action to withdraw the suspension, reemploy Mr. Rivera and restore any lost wages or benefits due to him."
Jensen said the township's lawyers got in touch with the Department of Labor after getting the letter and have explained the reasons for Rivera's suspension. He said he hasn't heard back from the federal agency.
Rivera said the case is currently with the U.S. Attorney General's office.
David Houle, regional administrator at the U.S. Department of Labor, confirmed "the case is still open with the U.S. Attorney General's office," and therefore declined comment.
Also considered in the disciplinary hearing before the suspension was an exhibit of Rivera's Facebook page, which said "(Expletive) the Chief," and other derogatory things about the fire chief. According to a transcript of the hearing, Rivera admitted to the content of his Facebook page but added that he was certain he did it while on his personal time.
He has since deleted his Facebook account, he said.
Rivera earns $34,000 from his Edison job. He also does part-time work with other municipal agencies, he said.
Rivera's suspension ends today.
EDISON FIREFIGHTER'S SUIT CLAIMS FREE SPEECH RIGHTS VIOLATED AFTER POSTER CRITICIZING MAYOR
NJ.COM - June 24, 2009 - EDISON -- An firefighter filed a federal lawsuit against Mayor Jun Choi and Fire Chief Norman Jensen, saying they violated his Constitutional rights by suspending him over a poster on his pickup truck that criticized the mayor.
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According to the suit, Peter Yackel arrived for duty at Edison Fire Station No. 3 on June 1, the day before Choi ran in the Democratic primary election, and parked his personal pickup truck in the parking lot.
A sign displayed in the bed of the truck read, "Choi Lies! Save Public Safety In Edison," according to the lawsuit, filed June 16 in U.S. District Court in Newark.
Jensen today labeled the lawsuit "absurd" and said he suspended Yackel for five days because the poster violated the fire department's employee handbook that bars public employees from "politicking on duty."
The lawsuit claims Choi and Jensen "retaliated" against Yackel and suspended him "for exercising his right of freedom of speech."
Yackel seeks back pay, and monetary and punitive damages, said his Iselin-based attorney, Michael McNally.
Choi, who also serves at Edison's public safety director, would not comment. "I think the comments by the chief are sufficient," he said.
Jensen said Yackel was disciplined for failing to follow department policy. "This is a flagrant violation of the rules," he said of the poster yesterday. "I don't think any city in America would tolerate this type of thing. If it went to Superior Court, I'm sure they would say the same thing."
This is the latest in a long list of disputes between Choi and the Edison fire union, which today announced the lawsuit in a press release.
A five-year veteran of the fire department, Yackel is the son of fire union president Robert Yackel, a vocal critic of Choi. The union endorsed and publicly supported Antonia Ricigliano, the councilwoman who wrested the Democratic nomination for mayor away from Choi in the primary.
Yackel received a letter notifying him about him suspension June 3, the day after Choi lost in the primary, the lawsuit said.
"This was personal retribution against the union president by punishing his son," Scott Law, the union's second vice president, said in a statement. "Peter was exercising his First Amendment right. He didn't do anything that affected his ability to perform his duties as a firefighter."
Jensen said the poster was "insubordinate to the mayor." "It's not a bumper sticker," Jensen said. "It's about a 4-by-4 sheet of plywood parked on a very busy street."
Jensen said he ordered the truck to be removed from the parking lot.
The lawsuit also claims Choi and Jensen violated the Fourteenth Amendment by denying Yackel a disciplinary hearing to "contest his suspension."
Jensen said Yackel had up to 15 days to file a grievance for a hearing, but he didn't. Yackel's attorney said Yackel filed an unfair labor practice charge against the department with the Public Employment Relations Commission.
CHOI CAN'T RUN AS GOP MAYORAL CANDIDATE
POLITICKERNJ.COM - June 18, 2009 - There's some buzz that Edison Mayor Jun Choi might try to run for as a Republican now that the GOP has lost their candidate, but the idea is a non-starter.
Reached by PolitickerNJ.com, Choi, who lost the Democratic primary earlier this month, pointed out that that the state's "sore loser" law bars him from running in the general after losing the primary.
Choi is correct. Even though the law does not apply to legislators, freeholders, and even municipal council members, mayors are barred from running again. But a Democrat allied with Choi could switch parties and become the GOP candidate against Democrat Toni Ricigliano.
The law was challenged in 2005, when the late Albert McWilliams, then mayor of Plainfield, lost the Democratic primary to Sharon Robinson-Briggs. McWilliams tried to run as a Republican, but County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi wouldn't let him on the ballot. After a court challenge, Union County Superior Court Judge Walter Barisonek ruled the law unconstitutional, but his decision was overturned on appeal.
Two years earlier, a Superior Court Judge allowed Arline Friscia to run for re-election on the Republican ticket after losing the Democratic State Assembly primary to Joseph Vas.
RICIGLINANO PULLS OFF UPSET VICTORY IN MAYORIAL PRIMARY
Councilwoman defeats Choi by fewer than 400 votes
THE SENTINEL - June 10, 2009 - Sparked by what she called a "grassroots movement" and the backing of the police and fire unions, two-term Edison Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano pulled off an upset victory over incumbent Mayor Jun Choi in the Democratic primary election last Tuesday.
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Ricigliano received 6,582 votes and Choi received 6,204.
"I'll be very honest with you, people in this town really came together on June 2," Ricigliano said. "We had support across the board. We reached out to every single district in Edison Township, and I really feel like that made a huge difference. I wanted this so badly, and I never let up throughout the whole campaign season."
Even when some local polls had her losing by about 14 points, she still never gave up hope.
"Allegedly, I was down by a bunch with less than a month to go, but still, I was confident," Ricigliano said. "I think in the end, his arrogance did him in. He really didn't treat the taxpayers right."
Among those who backed Ricigliano was Police Benevolent Association President Mike Schwarz.
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"I am absolutely elated," Schwarz said. "It was very tough working under Jun Choi. He was always into negative campaigning, and nobody liked that. It's really a great feeling to have the support of somebody who really cares."
Schwarz also mentioned that Choi always talked about how he wanted things done "professionally" but that he rarely followed his own edict.
Choi said he was proud of what he did over the past three and a half years as the mayor of the fifth largest municipality in the state, but that in the end, he felt that the negative campaigning of his opponent did him in.
"It's unfortunate that a slanderous campaign against me distorted my record," Choi said. "We're proud of stabilizing taxes and reforming the police department, and we definitely built a better future for Edison Township. Serving as mayor has been my greatest privilege. We still have seven months to move forward on many different projects."
Reached two days after her stunning victory, Ricigliano said she was still receiving numerous congratulatory phone calls and floral deliveries.
"It's amazing how many people supported me during the campaign and even now, when it's all been completed," Ricigliano said.
Even though she is a heavy favorite in November's general election, she says she is not overconfident and still knows that there is work to be done.
"I'm looking forward to a low-key summer, and I really do feel wonderful right now," Ricigliano said. "I knew I could do this. I thought it'd be close. He's the mayor, so right off the bat, name recognition dictates that people would certainly know him. I really did have a long hill to climb to get to this point."
Robert Yackel, president of the Edison Firefighters Association, said it was time for change within the town's hierarchy.
"It's great that he's gone. He couldn't tell the truth about anything during the campaign," Yackel said. "He attacked so many people, and he is not a friend to anybody. This was the most mean-spirited administration in the last 35 years. He was just a rotten individual."
When it comes to the truth, Ricigliano said that Choi tried to distort it to make her look bad.
"He said that I lied about a lot of things, but really, he had no proof of anything," Ricigliano said. "He was very disrespectful to a lot of people. I just want to do the right thing for people in Edison. I'm always going to be truthful about things."
CHOI BEING SUED BY LOCAL PBA
Organization alleges 'abuse of office' and 'intimidation and harassing' of union leaders
THE SENTINEL - June 10, 2009 - Even though Jun Choi lost his bid for re-election as Edison mayor last week, he still apparently has plenty on his plate.
An attorney for Edison Police BenevolentAssociation Local 75 filed a formal notice of intent to sue the mayor for "abuse of office" and for "intimidating and harassing" union leaders as retribution.
Choi, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination in last week's primary, alleged that PBA President Michael Schwarz and union delegate Keith Hahn engaged in "illegal political activities" in funneling $100,000 from its members for political donations
The Edison PBA endorsed Choi's opponent, Antonia Ricigliano, in the June 2 primary.
"We are definitely pursuing legal action at this point," Schwarz said. "The damage has already been done. What he did is very defamatory to not only me, but our entire organization."
"What we're being sued for is ridiculous," Schwarz said. "The only reason that we are now involved in political contributions is because of the mayor's attack on us as an organization."
For many years, the PBA and its hierarchy have been critical of the Choi administration and the hiring practices and promotion policies, the mishandling of contract negotiations, and unfair treatment of rank-andfile officers, according to a press release sent out by the PBA.
David DeFillippo, an attorney who represents the PBA, said that his client is taking this matter "very seriously" and that numerous grievances have been filed over the years under Choi.
"He has made baseless accusations, and this is really ridiculous," DeFillippo said. "To say that it has been a stormy relationship between his administration and the Edison PBA is an understatement. I represent many area PBAs, and we can certainly say that Edison is one of my busiest clients."
Schwarz is very upset, especially because he feels that Choi tried to use this matter as a campaign tool.
"A message has to be sent that you can't use this to further your own cause," Schwarz said. "It's not right and it's not fair."
DeFillippo said now that Choi's reign as mayor is coming to an end, he is looking forward to things being done differently.
"I would hope that with a new mayor coming in, there will be a return to normalcy and reasonability," DeFillippo said.
When responding to the charges, Choi said the PBA doesn't want to be held accountable for certain things.
"It's a frivolous lawsuit and it's bogus," Choi said. "I have never intimidated any officers on the Edison police force. They really just make up stuff as they go along."
Editor's note: Further details about the lawsuit were unavailable at the time the Sentinel went to press Monday night.
THOMAS PATERNITTI RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF EDISON'S DEMS
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NJ.COM - June 9, 2009 - Thomas Paterniti touted a message of unity among Edison's viciously feuding Democrats when he was re-elected chairman of the township's Democratic organization Monday.
But supporters of Mayor Jun Choi largely boycotted the election at the Pines Manor -- a lingering effect of last week's primary battle.
The 80-year-old Paterniti won his 17th straight term, drawing wild applause from a crowd that largely consisted of his supporters and those aligned with Antonia Ricigliano, the two-term councilwoman who grabbed the party's nomination for mayor away from Choi in a stunning primary coup last week.
Though she ran against the party in the past, Ricigliano was backed by both the Edison and Middlesex County Democratic organizations. Meanwhile, Choi rallied against the party for the third straight election season, vowing to end the "old-guard machine politics" that he said have ruled Edison. Two years ago, Choi tried to wrest control of the party by running against Paterniti for chairman. He lost.
No one challenged Paterniti on Monday.
"We've got to all join together," he told the crowd. "United, nobody can touch Edison."
"In the past, Democrats have always gotten back together (after the primary)," added Paterniti, a former Edison mayor and state senator who has served 26 years as party chairman. "We all work for a common goal."
But only five Choi supporters attended Monday's meeting. Choi did not appear.
"Nothing's changed," said Donald Hansen, a committee member aligned with Choi. "I don't see unity."
Hansen said Choi's coalition protested because of what he calls Ricigliano's "dirty" campaign.
"We felt the election that just happened was pretty bad," said Hansen, who was Choi's campaign manager when he was elected mayor in 2005. "It was dirty. How can we sit back a week later and say we're all Democrats?"
This year, Choi fielded his own slate of 120 candidates for the township's 156 Democratic committee seats. Fifty-eight won last week.
Paterniti said a few Choi-aligned committee members have reached out to him.
"They said they'll make it to the next meeting," Paterniti said. "Some people have other commitments."
After absentee ballots were tallied, Ricigliano officially won the primary by 604 votes. She garnered 6,904 votes, Choi 6,3000, and William Araujo 200.
The three council candidates running on Ricigliano's ticket -- Robert Diehl, Thomas Lankey and Charles Tomaro -- also won their party's nomination.
"It's a shame the town has been fractured," said Helen Gottlieb, an Edison resident who is also vice-chairman of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization. "What I think is happening is people are becoming more and more interested. They have unified."
But Choi's coalition still has control of the Edison council. Four of its seven members are aligned with the mayor.
"Change has started," said Rachel Callen, a council candidate who lost on Choi's ticket last week -- and one of the only Choi-aligned committee members who attended Monday's meeting. "We are still here to represent our community and our mayor. What mayor Choi has started doesn't happen overnight."
EDISON POLICE CHIEF'S SUITE CLAIMS POLITICS BLOCKED CAREER ADVANCEMENT
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - June 9, 2009 - An Edison deputy police chief contends in a federal lawsuit that he was relegated to the midnight shift and his name was stripped from the department's letterhead after a run-in with Mayor Jun Choi.
Deputy Chief Carmelo Vaticano also asserts he was improperly passed over for chief after testifying against Choi in a separate federal civil case.
The 31-year department veteran has named as defendants the township, Choi, Police Director Brian Collier and Chief Thomas Bryan and contends that he has suffered emotional distress, psychological injury and humiliation. He is seeking back pay, unspecified punitive and compensatory damages and promotion to chief.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, Newark, on April 14, contends the defendants violated Vaticano's constitutional rights by retaliating against him for testifying. The township in an answer to the complaint has denied its actions were retaliatory or discriminatory.
Jerry Barca, spokesman for Choi and the township, said he could not comment on pending litigation.
Vaticano was named deputy chief by outgoing Mayor George Spadoro in December 2005, days before Spadoro's tenure ended. According to the lawsuit, Vaticano was a Spadoro supporter, contributing to him and campaigning for him.
Choi, who lost last week's Democratic primary to Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano, beat Spadoro in the primary in 2005.
In April 2006, Choi determined Vaticano was "non-essential personnel" and ordered his take-home vehicle taken away, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit describes a run-in Vaticano had with Choi in May 2007 at what the lawsuit calls a township event. Choi was campaigning for several council candidates at the event at Raritan Center, according to the lawsuit.
"Several of the individuals campaigning with Defendant Choi were harassing a council member Robert Karabincek by calling him "Bob the Builder.' " the lawsuit reads. "Robert Karabincek contacted Plaintiff directly in an effort to stop the harassing conduct."
According to the lawsuit, campaigning at township events is not permitted under township rules.
"Plaintiff, pursuant to his lawful duties, dispatched a police officer to the event," according to the lawsuit.
Choi ordered him to prevent officers from "infringing on the campaign activities" and threatened to write-up Vaticano, according to the suit.
In March 2008, Vaticano gave a sworn statement against Choi in the civil action. That same month, Choi worked to amend the promotion ordinance so a lieutenant could be named deputy chief, appointing then Lt. Thomas Bryan to the job, according to the lawsuit.
EDISON POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH INSUBORDINATION HAS CASE THROWN OUT
NJ.COM - June 4, 2009 - EDISON - A veteran Edison police officer charged with insubordination saw his case thrown out today after a contentious disciplinary hearing in Edison Municipal Court that drew more than 200 police officers, family members, residents and high-ranking public officials.
The Edison Police Department charged Joseph Kenney, a 35-year police veteran, with berating a superior officer, Sgt. Alex Galinsky, in front of other patrol officers in July.
The dispute stems from a fiery July 3 car crash, where Kenney dragged the driver from the vehicle.
Timothy Smith, Kenney's attorney, told the court that Kenney called for help, but Galinsky ignored him, saying "there's dirty ... Indians in the car, and I'm not going in there."
At roll call the next day, Kenney told Galinsky his actions were "derelict" and "negligent," said Littie Rau, the attorney representing the township.
"It was not the time or place," Rau said today as Kenney sat in uniform, shaking his head. "It was inappropriate and disrespectful. He violated the code of conduct that is expected of police officers."
But Police Director Brian Collier, who presided, tossed the case after Kenney's attorney argued the department filed the complaint too late. The complaint was filed in October -- four months after the roll call -- it violates state law mandating that public employees must file complaints within 45 days of learning of an incident, the attorney argued.
"I felt that rule may have been overstepped," Collier said.
If found guilty, Kenney, 58, could have been reprimanded or suspended for up to 10 days, Collier said.
Smith said department policy prohibits Kenney from speaking to the press. Kenny spent 12 years with Newark police before joining the Edison department 23 years ago.
"This was strictly done to embarrass my husband," an angry Robin Kenney said of the hearing.
Kenney's attorney argued the case shouldn't have gone to hearing at all because of the 45-day law.
"I'm not going to participate in a rigged proceeding," Smith said. "We shouldn't be here. This case is substantially ridiculous."
Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan said the department's internal affairs unit "thoroughly" investigated the incident.
"I feel certainly we were within the 45-day rule," Bryan said after the charges were tossed.
The chief maintained Kenney was wrong.
"He stood up in front of a lot of patrol officers and berated a superior officer," Bryan said. "That's against our rules."
The chief also said the investigation revealed no proof that Galinsky "did anything wrong at the scene."
Messages left for Galinsky, who was not in the courtroom yesterday, were not returned.
Michael Schwarz, president of the Edison Police Benevolent Association, confirmed Galinsky has been "dismissed" from the police union, but would not say when or for what.
Among those who packed the courtroom were Antonia Ricigliano, the councilwoman who won the Democratic nomination for mayor Tuesday with the support of the Edison police union, and many of her supporters, including Councilman Anthony Massaro and former council president Charles Tomaro.
Sgt. John Vaticano called the car crash one of the most "horrific" in Edison history. Two people died.
Kenney arrived at the scene to find the car overturned and burning, his attorney said.
Kenney received a valor award from the Middlesex County 200 Club last month for the rescue, in which he suffered second- and third-degree burns, Smith said.
On the witness stand yesterday, Vaticano said 12 to 15 officers were at the roll call -- officially called a muster -- held every day for officers to air grievances and concerns.
Kenney told Galinsky "it disturbed me greatly that you left me alone" at the crash, Rau, the township's attorney said, reading a transcript of the meeting.
"You were derelict in your duties, not only as a sergeant, but as a human being by not trying to save those men," Kenney said, according to the transcript.
"That's not my job," Galinsky responded, according to the transcript. "That's the first aid's job."
Vaticano said he asked Kenney and Galinsky to settle the issue, but Galinsky walked out.
Asked by Smith if what Kenney said at the meeting was inappropriate, Vaticano said: "Absolutely not."
"Muster rooms are where you debrief," the attorney said. "It's among men. Not mice."
Collier called a recess after Vaticano -- the only witness -- left the stand. When they returned, the police director threw out the case.
RICIGLIANO CITES POLICE, FIRE UNIONS SUPPORT AS REASON FOR EDISON PRIMARY WIN
NJ.COM - June 3, 2009 - EDISON - One day after wresting the Democratic nomination for mayor from incumbent Jun Choi, Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano cited a few factors for her primary victory: the robust support of the township's police and fire unions, a grassroots movement to drum up voters and widespread dissatisfaction with Choi's first term.
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"It's a new day in Edison," a beaming Ricigliano said today outside her campaign headquarters off Route 1.
Middlesex County primary election results
But Choi said his political downfall in the state's fifth-largest township was largely due to what he called the negative, lie-laced Ricigliano campaign.
"I'm sad for Edison," the mayor said today at town hall. "I'm sad for the future of the state."
Ricigliano, who was endorsed by the Edison Democratic Committee, garnered 6,582 votes in Tuesday's election -- 378 more than Choi, according to unofficial totals. William Araujo collected 189 votes.
Absentee ballots have not been counted.
Mike Barfield, Choi's campaign spokesman, said the number of Democrats who turned out to vote was unprecedented. "Edison has never seen a primary with more than 10,000 voting," he said. "Everyone thought (drawing) 5,500 votes was a safe bet."
Choi also blamed the loss on the economy, claiming Ricigliano distorted his tax record.
"This was a shock for most any political analyst observing this race," he said. "Many more people turned out, really out of anger and frustration, than we expected."
Ricigliano, a 70-year-old two-term councilwoman, will face Republican Ray Koperwhats and independent candidates Joseph Coyle, Peter Cerrato and Inder "Andy" Soni in November.
Councilman Anthony Massaro, a Ricigliano ally on the bitterly divided Township Council, filed to run as an independent but will withdraw now that Ricigliano has won.
Because Edison is heavily Democratic and hasn't elected a Republican mayor in half-a-century, Ricigliano is considered the favorite.
Ricigliano said she visited town hall today. "The entire atmosphere is light-hearted," she said. "It's like the sun's finally shone in. I don't know why the mayor couldn't have seen what people (in town hall) were concerned about."
This was the third time 38-year-old Choi challenged the party line. He beat incumbent George Spadoro in the 2005 primary en route to becoming the youngest and first Asian-American mayor in Edison. In 2007, he led his own slate of four council candidates to victory.
His goal, he said, was to erase the machine politics that have plagued Edison for years. He repeatedly linked Ricigiliano to the "old guard."
But Tom Paterniti, longtime chairman of the Edison Democratic Committee, said Ricigliano's victory will mend a party that's been divided by Choi.
"Everybody feels Edison is united now," Paterniti said. "They feel very strong."
Asked if Ricigliano's victory indicates the old guard still has a strong footing, Choi said: "I was not backed by the special interests that have raised taxes historically in this town. The challenge with the old guard is: They use campaign techniques I'd never consider using."
Ricigliano does admit her campaign was more negative than she would have liked.
"I didn't not have knowledge of everything," she said. "You can't micro-manage. But a couple pieces went out I wasn't happy with. I think we ran a clean campaign. Even if things were negative, none of it was a lie."
Fire union president Robert Yackel said he believes the support of the fire and police union -- whose members canvassed across town for Ricigliano -- was a major boost.
The fire union once supported Choi, but over the last three years, Yackel said Choi has let the number of firemen dwindle dangerously. The police union has bickered with Choi over a number of issues.
"We knew it was so bad (under Choi) that we needed someone who would be honest," Yackel said.
Choi said there's still a lot to accomplish in the next seven months -- his continued push to stabilize taxes being his chief concern.
"We will continue to get things done," he said. "This has been the most amazing experience of my life."
Choi said he would not run as an independent and would not discuss his plans after December. He also would not say if he will endorse Ricigliano.
"I will support the person I believe is the most qualified," he said.
RICIGLIANO VICTORIOUS IN WCTC RADIO MAYORAL DEBATE
STAFF REPORT
EDISON, NJ - May 26, 2009 - Edison Township Mayoral hopeful Antonia “Toni” Ricigliano undoubtedly “slammed’ Mayor Jun Choi in the only public debate of the primary season aired and hosted by WCTC radio, 1450 am. “Every time Jun Choi attempted to mislead listeners with his typical nonfactual rhetoric, Ricigliano rebutted with cold hard facts making Choi switch topics in a moments notice”, says longtime Edison resident Jim Jennings. From beginning to end, Ricigliano articulately responded to every false accusation and fabricated story made by Choi.
In Choi’s opening statement, he boasted about downsizing the government work force by 10%. Only to have Ricigliano question, if Choi’s downsizing was so effective, why is our budget 25 % higher than when Choi took office, she later comments that it must be due to the Mayor’s high paid consultants.
Choi was also very inconsistent with his statements, in the beginning he blamed all of the town’s woes on the township workers and their union contracts in his typical union bashing way, but by the end of the debate Choi was boasting about his hard line negotiations with 9 of the 11 towns unions.
Choi tried to accuse Ricigliano of being a supporter of a 600% tax increase during her years on the council. The truth being, when the township switched to a fiscal year, one could disingenuously calculate the numbers to look far greater than they really were. In fact, Ricigliano pointed out that during that period, yearly budget increases actually calculated out to approximately 6 % per year. Which is far less than Jun Choi’s average.
In a very lame attempt at linking Ricigliano to the “old guard”, Choi tried to claim that being a committee woman for her neighborhood, somehow made her responsible for township budgets for the past 33 years. Wow, what a stretch, Choi must sure be desperate. Not to mention that for the people that have raised their families in Edison and call Edison home, trashing the original town fathers that built this wonderful community may be interpreted as an insult. I would suspect that a large number of Edison’s residents would choose the “good ole days” over the “Jun Choi days” anytime.
When the debate moderator asked about the mayor’s salary and if it was adequate, Choi danced around that topic like Fred Astaire. While Ricigliano calmly explained that Jun Choi giving himself a 53% pay hike during these hard financial times was wrong and that a true leader must lead by example. That is why Ricigliano stated she would take a pay cut before she asked her hard working township employees to do with less. Choi also accused Ricigliano of voting for Mayor Spadaro’s hefty pay raise. Which is not true, Ricigliano voted against Spadaro’s raise, she plainly stated “check the record”
Ricigliano also fired some “shots” of her own when Choi was continually blasting the police union for all of his budget problems. She pointed out that Choi promised to reform the police department and ordered an investigative report to be conducted by the states Department of Community Affairs. One recommendation of this report was to reduce the amount of police brass. Unfortunately, Choi decided not to follow this report and has added additional police brass, not to mention a police director.
When asked about economic redevelopment, Choi’s balloon was deflated when trying to brag about the Hartz Mountain project, Ricigliano pointed out that she was on the committee regarding the Ford Plant Redevelopment and credits her work as stopping 275 residential units.
Besides trying to take credit for the Pay-2-Play reform, of which Choi wasn’t even in office, Choi continued making ridiculously false statements such as his claim to have a strong commitment on ethical reform. Meanwhile, Choi’s very own Ethics Officer has ignored an ethics complaint filed in the spring of 2007 regarding a township official whose side business was hired to work for the town and was paid twice as much as other contractor’s were paid.
When listeners were able to call in questions, the candidates were asked what they have done to control taxes. Choi once again began spewing all of the lies that were previously and successfully rebutted by Ricigliano. When given her chance answering the same question, Toni explained that she only voted for one of Choi’s budgets, but that was only after her and her fellow council members were able to trim Choi’s proposed budget by 50%. Unfortunately for taxpayer’s, budget conscious council members such as Mrs. Ricigliano, have a limited amount of authority when it comes to budgets and tax increases. Especially now, due to Choi’s four rubber stamp council members that approve anything Choi puts in front of them.
Even though Mayor Choi is too arrogant to read the writing on the wall, Toni Ricigliano sure spelled it out for him, watch out Jun, here comes Toni and she’s coming to get you and with the help from all the good people of Edison, they will take their town back.
JUDGE DENIES MOTION IN FIREFIGHTERS UNIFORM ISSUE
SENTINEL - May 27, 2009 - A state Superior Court judge denied a motion by Edison Township to reconsider a previous contempt of court finding against the town for failing to provide uniforms to its firefighters.
A year ago, the township and its firefighters union entered into an agreement via an arbitrator with the hope of resolving the issue. In February of this year, the township was found in contempt of court for failing to follow a court order that was supposed to alleviate the situation.
"To me, this is much ado about nothing," said Mark Ruderman, labor attorney for Edison Township. "We had everything all set up to get the uniforms to the firefighters, but then the vendor went bankrupt."
Beyond that development, he also stated that the firefighters had until June 30 of last year to get properly sized so that the township could provide with them with uniforms.
"That also was a problem, because a lot of [firefighters] didn't get it done," Ruderman said.
Ruderman believes that the timing of these events is not just a coincidence.
"Unfortunately, this is merely a political effort by [Edison Firefighters Association President] Bob Yackel and his crew of friends to make the town look bad. He's not succeeding one bit."
Yackel said the only timing issue involved is related to how long the process has taken.
"This is the height of management incompetence or arrogance," Yackel said. "Why has it taken a year to provide firefighters with essential safety gear that is spelled out in the contract?"
Yackel previously stated that the cost of the uniforms is approximately $175 apiece and has been appropriated by the council.
"I want to know why this is so hard when the money is there. It's available," Yackel had said.
Ruderman said that things could be resolved if only he had one simple thing in hand: "a list of people and their sizes."
"This whole thing is absolutely not an appropriate use of judicial time," Ruderman said. "Hopefully, the union will cooperate and we can get this done."
MEMBERS OF EDISON F.D. PARTICIPATE IN SAFETY COURSE
SENTINEL - April 15, 2009 - EDISON - Six members of the Edison Fire Department recently completed Homeland Security Training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston, Ala., a facility that is operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Capt. Dwyane Borwegen, firefighter/EMT Mike Sacchi, and firefighters Matt Colletto, Peter Yackel, Daniel Wood and Richard Rodriguez attended the five-day course along with first responders from around the country, in an effort to learn how to respond to real-world incidents involving chemical, biological, explosive, radiological and other hazardous materials. Edison's firefighters participated in training exercises that involved all of the above.
"Over the past few years, there has been a lot of talk about bombs and major disasters that have occurred, such as 9/11, so for us, this was an opportunity to gain plenty of knowledge on how bombs are made and how to combat the problems that may exist," Yackel said.
To make the training more realistic, it took place in a true toxic environment using chemical agents.
Yackel said he went to the program after signing up for it and was cleared to go by Battalion Chief Robert Sofield of the Edison Fire Department. While he was glad to go down to Alabama, once he got there, he and the rest of his fellow firefighters were in for something they may not have anticipated.
"We may not have realized what we were in for," Yackel explained. "Each day we had a 5 a.m. wakeup call, and we went hard all day long until 5 p.m. At the beginning and the end of the five days, we had to take blood tests because we were exposed to so many things."
He also spoke about how the conditions weren't exactly ideal.
"We stayed in what felt like old-style United States Army barracks," Yackel said.
At the end of the five days, Yackel and the five others were able to train others about weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
"We really did learn so much down there," Yackel said. "If I had the chance to do it again, I definitely would."
ASSOCIATION PREZ TAKES ISSUE WITH TOWNSHIP
SENTINEL - March 25, 2009 - It is unbelievable that in the March 11 edition of the Sentinel (Fire union prez calls out mayor, attorney), the township is blaming a lack of communication for the delay in providing firefighters with the fire-retardant station uniforms that they are entitled to both contractually and required to wear by federal OSHA regulations. These uniforms are part of a firefighter's basic protection gear that are worn under bunker gear and provide an additional layer of protection when fighting a fire.
Edison's contract with its firefighters clearly states that the town must provide these specially made safety uniforms annually. That clause has been in our contracts for years. It was upheld in binding arbitration, which was ignored by the township. Then the arbitration decision was upheld by a court order, also ignored by the town. This led to a contempt-of-court decision ordering the immediate delivery of the uniforms, which has still not been obeyed. What didn't the town understand a detailed arbitrator's ruling or the two court decisions? How much communication is necessary for Edison to live up to its obligations to provide for the safety of its firefighters and the people they are responsible for protecting.
Why is the town dragging its feet on providing basic safety equipment to first responders that is mandated by federal regulations, contractually mandated in a collective bargaining agreement upheld by an arbitrator and already budgeted for by the town council?
Robert Yackel
President
Edison Fire Fighters
Association
FIRE UNION PREZ CALLS OUT MAYOR, ATTORNEY
Refers to Choi as 'worst mayor we've had'
SENTINEL - March 11, 2009 - In yet another round of the Jun Choi versus Edison Township firefighters, the township has been found in contempt of court for failing to follow a court order upholding an arbitrator's decision that the town is required to provide firefighters with station uniforms under the terms of its contract with the firefighters union.
State Superior Court Judge Frank Ciuffani signed an order last month requiring the township to immediately provide the necessary uniform items for the nearly 90 firefighters that are affected.
In May 2008, the township and the township's firefighters union entered into an agreement via an arbitrator with hopes of resolving the issue.
"Since the judge issued his ruling, I haven't heard one word from administration, and their attorney [Mark Ruderman] is a total idiot," said Robert Yackel, president of the Edison Fire Fighters Association. "They've been giving us the runaround for so long, and it's totally ridiculous already. The uniforms are required by OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration]."
Ruderman wasn't available for comment by press time.
Yackel also said that the necessary money for the uniforms, valued at approximately $175 each, according to Yackel, has been appropriated by the council.
"I want to know why this is so hard when the money is there. It's available," Yackel said.
The uniforms are only good for so many washings until the retardancy wears away, according to Stu Miller, a spokesman for the association.
"This is only going to turn into a bigger problem, the longer that the firefighters do not have the necessary gear," Miller said.
Jerry Barca, communications director for Edison, said Friday that at some point this week, the township will file a motion asking the court to reconsider the ruling.
"The judge never heard from the township on this matter and the information that was provided to him was full of inaccuracies," Barca said. "Had there been any communication at all on this matter, this could have been easily resolved. But instead, the union ran straight to the judge.
"Yackel and his union executive board will continue with falsehoods, and they'll do anything but work for the betterment of Edison Township."
At one point in time, Yackel supported the Choi administration, but the relationship has become severely strained over time.
"We used to support Choi but he did nothing for us at all," Yackel said. "He started [complaining] about previous administrations when he's really the worst mayor we've had," Yackel said.
"Some of the firefighters have uniforms from as far back as 2005. We'll go back to the judge and put him [Choi] in jail if we have to for not following orders. And the fire chief [Norman Jensen], he's just as bad. No wonder why Choi brought him back out of retirement."
Jensen was unavailable for comment.
COUNCILWOMEN TAKES ISSUE TO RESIDENT'S LETTER
SENTINEL - March 11, 2009 - I read with interest Fred Cisson's letter to the editor dated Feb. 11, 2009. I am in full agreement that the public "should know a few things," and in so doing perhaps Fred will finally be educated.
His assertion that in the 1980s I accomplished nothing of significance for the residents of Edison Township is flawed. I was active in PTA at James Madison, John Adams, and J.P. Stevens High School while my children were in school, was a member of and served on the executive board of Martin Luther King School, was a trustee for the Associated PTA Scholarship Committee and served as their treasurer for three of my 10 years. I served with the Shamrocks and NE Baseball/Softball in many capacities, including softball manager/coach and cheering adviser/coordinator. I attended college and received my teaching degree, having graduated with honors. All of these things, plus many others, were accomplished during the 1980s. He can check my Web site — www.ricigliano2009.com — for additional information.
I was elected to council in November 1997 and sworn in on Jan. 1, 1998. This was the first time I ran for a township-wide position and won. I then won in November 2005, defeating [Mayor Jun] Choi's candidate for a council seat, and was sworn in to office on Jan. 1, 2006.
A councilperson's sworn duty is to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the state of New Jersey. It is the responsibility of the council to "protect" the residents of the township and guard their tax dollars, not to march in lockstep with any administration.
Mr. Cisson should also realize that there are many ways to serve humanity, not just in the political arena. In the 1980s I chose civic endeavors to benefit the township. I have since incorporated politics in my goal to make Edison a better community for all.
Perhaps the residents of Edison Township would be interested to know what Mr. Cisson has done or plans to do to benefit the township.
Antonia Ricigliano
Councilwoman
EDISON FIREFIGHTERS GET SUPERIOR COURT ORDER FOR UNIFORMS
NJ.COM - February 26, 2009 - In the latest clash between Edison Mayor Jun Choi and township firefighters, the firefighters have obtained a Superior Court order to get uniforms.
Superior Court Judge Frank Ciuffani in New Brunswick signed an order Feb. 20 requiring the township to immediately provide clothing, including pants and long- and short-sleeve shirts.
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"This is clothing required by OSHA," Robert Yackel, the president of the firefighters union said, referring to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. "We don't take frivolous things to court," Yackel said.
Mark Ruderman, the Springfield labor attorney representing the township, said he learned of the court order today. "This is not about firefighter safety. This is not the fire retardent material firefighters wear into a fire. This is what they wear around the firehouse," he said.
Robert Yackel, the fire union president, once supported Choi. But their relationship was short-lived as the administration took a hard line in contract negotiations and refused to hire more personnel.
Last May, the township entered an arbitration consent agreement with the union to provide the clothing. However, by December about 90 firefighters still had not received all of their clothing, Yackel said. The union went to court to enforce the agreement, he said.
Ruderman countered that the union never submitted a list of the missing items, and Chief Norman Jensen was unaware of the clothing shortages until today.
"Mr. Yackel has turned this into an attack on the mayor. It's very unfortunate that it has come to this," Ruderman said.
Yackel, while contending Choi was at fault as the public safety director, said the township and Jensen were notified last year of the uniform items that were needed.
FOLLOW UP......
Received via email from Tony M.:
"I am surprised that not having them was not blamed on the bond not passing.
Remember that there is, minimally, $8 M, in authorized but unused bonding ability in the township.
The only way to improve things is to remove the one at the top."
WOMAN HEALING FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED IN 3-CAR WRECK IN EDISON
MYCENTRALJERSEY.COM - December 6, 2008 - A woman who was critically injured in a three-vehicle accident on Woodbridge Avenue on Saturday afternoon is reportedly recovering and in stable condition, police said.
The motorist, whose identity was not released by authorities, sustained life-threatening injuries in the accident at about 12:15 p.m. Saturday.
Police said the woman was driving a Mitsubishi sedan when the accident took place.
The exact circumstances of the crash are still under investigation, the results of which were not available Sunday.
The woman had to be extricated from her car and transported by medevac helicopter to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick with critical injuries.
A disabled van involved in the accident was unoccupied, and the driver of the third vehicle suffered minor injuries.
The crash occurred on Woodbridge Avenue near Raritan Center Industrial Park before the connection with Route 440. Eastbound traffic on Woodbridge Avenue was closed temporarily as police investigated the crash.
Click here for photos from the incident.
EFA, TWP. FEUD OVER FIREHOUSE STAFFING
EFA: Clara Barton Firehouse May Close. Twp: No, It Won't
SENTINEL - November 26, 2008 - Aflier distributed by the Edison Firefighters Association (EFA), the union representing the township's 140 paid firefighters, says that the municipal government may transfer staff from the Clara Barton firehouse, on Amboy Avenue, to the soon-to-be-built Public Safety Center in Raritan Center, resulting in the firehouse's closing, an assertion that township officials have strongly denied.
The flier, which has been circulating in the township since late last week, says that Mayor Jun Choi and Director of Special Projects Howard Dill told the union that the staff from the Clara Barton firehouse would be transferred and the firehouse would be closed for renovations. The firefighters from Clara Barton, according to the flier, would staff the Public Safety Center, a state-of-the-art, 17,000-square-foot facility that will house police, fire and emergency medical services personnel as well as a training center for all three departments. Previously when firehouses were renovated, temporary quarters would be set up; the flier says that no such plans are in the works for the Clara Barton firehouse.
This, says the flier, would add two miles, or at least three minutes, depending on traffic, to emergency response times, an unacceptable delay to the firefighters.
Township Communications Director Jerry Barca said in a phone interview that the assertions made on the flier are completely false.
"Professional firefighters will remain in the Clara Barton firehouse, which will absolutely remain open. The addition of the public safety center will add to the safety in this community," said Barca.
However, Stu Miller, a public relations spokesperson with the EFA, said that this was disingenuous, and it leaves the question as to how the new public safety center is going to be staffed; he wondered where the manpower is going to come from.
"Are they going to just magically appear?" asked Miller.
The township has thus far declined to comment on how the new facility — originally set to open at the end of December, but with the target date now set for sometime in the spring — will be staffed.
The EFA and the township, both the administration and the council, have a history of conflict.
Two weeks ago, the firefighters and the
council's public safety committee feuded over whether a meeting about the impact of new administrative procedures in the fire department should be open to the public; the firefighters said it should, but most of the committee was against the idea. This led to a protest outside town hall on Nov. 17.
The EFA also sued the township in May over a contract
dispute regarding what the firefighters felt was a deliberate withholding of shift differential wages, as well concerns over the random drug testing policy. The EFA and township had recently finished contract negotiations at that time, through which the average Edison firefighter receives a salary of $92,000 a year, not including overtime and longevity pay.
In December 2007, the EFA called for the resignation of then-acting Chief Norm Jensen over changes to administrative policy.
In the spring of 2006, Choi, whom the firefighters had initially supported for mayor during the 2005 campaign, proposed replacing the chief position with a civilian fire director, a move that, after a great deal of conflict with both residents and the EFA, was eventually rejected by the council.
NIOSH RESPIRATOR APPROVALS TO BE REVOKED
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is issuing this notice to inform respirator users that Global Secure Safety Products., Inc. is no longer producing NIOSH- approved respirators or replacement parts and is not planning to resume production in the future. Global Secure Safety Products, Inc. stopped production of respirators in April 2008 and has ceased doing business.
Global Secure Safety Products, Inc. (formerly CairnsAir Inc. or Neoterik) Respirators will be listed on CEL as Obsolete and Certificates of Approval will be Revoked
NIOSH will revoke the approvals of these respirators on December 31, 2009. Revoked status means that the respirators in question will no longer be listed as NIOSH-approved respirators. Once revoked, respirators bearing these approval numbers may no longer be manufactured, assembled, sold, or distributed as NIOSH-approved respirators. Furthermore, they may not be used where NIOSH-approved respirators are required regardless of the current state of maintenance.
EDISON OFFICIALS REFUTE RUMORS OF PLAN TO CLOSE CLARA BARTON FIREHOUSE
SENTINEL - November 12, 2008 - The township 
administration refuted claims made in a flier distributed to area residents, which alleged that the firehouse in the Clara Barton section of town may close down.
"Professional firefighters will remain in the Clara Barton firehouse, which will absolutely remain open," township spokesman Jerry Barca said Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Members of the fire union, the Edison Firefighter's Association, distributed the fliers over the weekend.
The fliers alleged that to staff the new fire house being built at Raritan Center, Mayor Jun Choi may close the Clara Barton fire station. It cautioned residents that this would lead to delayed fire response time for Clara Barton residents.
At the bottom of the flier, the fire union provided contact information for the mayor and Councilwoman AnnMarie Griffin-Ussak, who lives in Clara Barton.
Griffin-Ussak said Monday that she spent the weekend fielding calls from concerned residents and reassuring them that their firehouse is staying put.
She clarified that the township is not going to deplete the number of firehouses to staff another firehouse. She said she based this on her conversation with the mayor and the fire chief.
But the question of how the township would staff the new fire house at Raritan Center, that is scheduled to open in the spring, still remained unanswered.
Griffin-Ussak said that in her opinion, "ultimately they have to hire more firefighters for town."
Barca did not reveal specifics of the staffing process and said only that the addition of the new Public Safety Center will add to the safety of the community.
This is not the first time the fire union has clashed with the administration. Last week, members of the union rallied outside town hall demanding a public meeting to voice their concerns against the administration.
The union, which supported Choi during his campaign, became a vocal opponent of the mayor shortly after he took office.
Union leaders say the relationship soured after Choi refused to hire more personnel for the fire department, which they say has a direct relation to safety of the firefighters.
The administration, however, said that the union turned its back on Choi after contract negotiations didn't go the way the union wanted.
FIREFIGHTERS, COUNCIL CLASH OVER MEETING FORMAT
SENTINEL - November 12, 2008 - The Edison Firefighters Association (EFA), the union representing Edison's 140 paid firefighters, critiqued the Township Council for what it called a "refusal" to schedule a meeting to address the impact of several relatively new administrative policies on public safety.
Members of the council's public safety committee, however, said the firefighters are being inflexible, and stated that it is the union that is preventing the meeting from happening, not the council, due to a disagreement over its format.
The EFA would prefer to have the meeting open, saying that the public has a right to know what's happening in their town firsthand, rather than have the information be filtered from township authorities.
"The main thrust is we want these to be public hearings. We want them to be public, not something swept under the rug, and Choi and his four council members are not letting it happen. … They are looking to have a private, secret meeting, which we are not [agreeing with], because the public should have the right to know what is going on," said EFA President Robert Yackel in a phone interview on Nov. 7.
Opposing members of the council's public safety committee, the body involved in discussions of the matter, say that there's no reason to involve the public and that attempts to do so are simply political grandstanding.
Council Vice President Wayne Mascola, a member of the committee, said the talks are not a hearing but a fact-finding mission, and so the meetings do not need public comment at this time.
"This, it's not a hearing. We were basically fact-finding, so the public does not need to speak at this meeting, and that is what they [the EFA] were upset about," Mascola said on the phone Nov. 7. "We need to find the basic facts first before we go any further."
Mascola noted that he didn't think the public should be denied a chance to comment at all, saying that further down the road, there could be opportunities for that. The councilman just said that for now, he believes it would be best if they could discuss things among themselves in private, ideally with both the EFA and the fire administration. He also said that even if one prefers a public meeting, surely a private one is better than no meeting at all.
"The logic is beyond comprehension. If I had a problem as grave as they were saying, I would try to talk to everyone willing to listen to me, but because we're not going to have cameras and microphones, the problems are no longer there?" said Mascola.
Mascola said that the public safety committee had tried to hold a meeting with the EFA on Oct. 15, but that the union didn't show up because the meeting was not going to be public. With this, Mascola said that Yackel's motivations are political and don't have anything to do with the public's safety, accusing him of trying to politicize what is essentially "an employee-type situation."
"They refused to show up, so how can they say we're not willing to listen? This is grandstanding. If this is a very important problem, wouldn't you talk to anyone willing to listen? We were there. They elected not to show up," said Mascola.
Yackel strongly disagreed with this assessment and said that the reason he is pushing for a public meeting so passionately is that he wants the public to get the information firsthand, before it has a chance to be politically spun in the administration's favor.
"We [aren't] going to any meetings not open to the public, period. They are trying to have these secret public meetings so they can take it to the mayor's office so they can spin it, and we're not going to let that happen. We want to put it all on the table and let the chips fall where they may. Honesty is the best policy," said Yackel.
Yackel said he'd go into more specifics as to what the EFA was concerned about should a public meeting be held, but he said that among the many policies the union took issue with was the practice of sending two firefighters per engine on a call rather than the three to four they recommend, an increasing reliance on volunteer and out-of-town firefighters, and inadequate and unsafe training schedules. When asked whether it would be better to have a private meeting rather than no meeting, he reiterated his commitment to making sure the public has a right to know what is happening, saying that if the proceedings remain private, the issues will be silenced.
"Because they are going to sweep it under the rug, like they do everything else since this guy has taken office. The public has a right to know. The public has a right," said Yackel.
Fire Chief Norman Jensen defended the practices of the fire department administration in an interview on Nov. 10 and said that some of the changes the EFA has demanded are impractical while others are simply unrealistic. He said the fire department has been responding with two firefighters per truck "for as long as I can remember."
"Sure, I'd like to see a big, gigantic fire department. That would be great. But can I afford to try to meet the standards they want me to? It would take me a minimum of 56 more firefighters to get near what Mr. Yackel wants: an officer and three men on every piece of equipment," said Jensen. "They want things that are just not achievable."
He also said that the fire department has more people now than when the Durham Woods gas fire explosion happened in 1994 that caused massive damage.
Jensen also said that the use of volunteer and out-of-town fire companies is part of the mandated mutual aid program set up between Edison and a number of surrounding towns.
In response to the stated concerns regarding the training schedule, Jensen said the fire department only hires trained firefighters who have already been certified, and so there is little need to train someone in things that they have already learned at the fire academy. He also said that continuing training still goes on all the time, in sessions ranging between a day to three weeks, so he does not understand why Yackel thinks training is inadequate.
Jensen said he felt that many of the issues the EFA raised are "political grandstanding" and noted that more than 73 percent of career firefighters in Edison make $98,000 base pay, not counting overtime, which he said is extremely generous in Edison.
"If you sneeze, you can call it overtime," said Jensen.
Jensen dismissed the calls for a public meeting as a call to score more political points for the EFA, saying that if the issue were really that important, all the members of the council have his home number, cell number and office number and can contact him anytime to inquire as to the safety of the township.
Not everyone on the public safety committee was against the idea of having a public meeting. Councilman Anthony Massaro, the committee's chair, said that he felt letting the public at least sit in would be a good idea. He lamented that so much time has been devoted to discussing the details of the meeting, though, rather than having the meeting itself.
"I believe the public should be able to attend and, to the extent that it's reasonable, I think the public should be able to comment also. … It's unfortunate we are spending so much time discussing the format of the meeting rather than getting it done," Massaro said on Friday.
The
EFA and the Choi administration have clashed multiple times in the past, despite
initially endorsing the mayor during his run for the office in 2005. The two have
come into conflict over a proposal from the mayor to head the department with
a civilian director, a measure that ultimately failed. The EFA has also called
for the resignation of Chief Norman Jensen over changes to the administration
in December 2007 and sued the town in May over a contract dispute.
FIRE UNION RALLIES IN EDISON TO DEMAND ADMINISTRATION MEETING ON CONCERNS
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MARK R. SULLIVAN / MyCentralJersey |
MY CENTRALJERSEY.COM - November 11, 2008 - The fire union is not ready to let up in its fight against the administration.
The union had earlier asked the township council to hold a public meeting to address the concerns it has with the administration.
An Oct.15 meeting was set up by the council's public safety committee but it was not open to the public. The fire union refused to attend.
"I don't want a private little meeting where they sweep everything under the rug," said union President Robert Yackel.
At a rally, held prior to the council's caucus meeting on Monday, to once again demand a public meeting, about 50 members of the fire union were joined by the police union.
"We support our local unions," said Michael Schwarz of the PBA. "You'll see us taking a more vocal approach to expressing our concerns too."
Both Yackel and Schwarz supported Mayor Jun Choi during his campaign. But that alliance didn't last too long.
When asked if the protests have a political undercurrent, given that mayoral primaries are looming next June, Schwarz said they would do "absolutely anything to get him (Choi) out of office."
Yackel, however, denied a connection to the coming election. "If we did this around June, you'd call it political. We're doing it now, but you still say it's political."
Nevertheless, every second sentence said at the rally referred to Choi and the failings of the administration.
"This is not the man (Choi) who came into office three years ago," he said.
Schwarz said what's really political is the "four rubber-stamp council members up there."
In a phone interview yesterday afternoon, Council President Robert Diehl agreed that politics may have a hand in the demonstration, but he said at the bottom of the issue it comes down to public safety concerns and those need to be addressed.
He said the council had handed the issue to the three-member public safety committee led by Council members Anthony Massaro, Wayne Mascola and Sudhanshu Prasad.
But Mascola and Massaro were either personally or emotionally connected to the issue, he said.
Mascola had earlier indicated being personally attacked when the fire union's fliers were found stuck on his family's car and home.
Diehl said that Massaro, by openly defending the firefighters' union at an earlier rally, had led some to believe he would be biased.
"I'm in the process of reorganizing a temporary public safety committee to deal with this particular issue," Diehl said.
Massaro, who serves as chair of the public safety committee, responded that he would stand by his position of involving the public in the meetings with the union "because transparent government requires that."
Yackel wanted to hold open public meetings to examine recently enacted fire department operational procedures, especially alleged manpower shortages in the department.
According to the fire union, the municipality was left with a skeleton force to battle fires in late September as half of the force was assigned to training without making arrangements for backups.
The union brought forward William Lukeman, a Ridge Road resident, and victim of the September fire to speak at Monday's council meeting.
Lukeman outlined his concerns regarding a delayed response to the fire at his home.
"It took 11 minutes for the first engine with two firemen to arrive," he said.
Fire chief Norman Jensen refuted those claims and said the union is using public safety as a scare tactic when what it really wants is to create more jobs and more overtime pay for its members.
EDISON FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE LITTLE GIRL'S CHERISHED TOY FROM BURNING APARTMENT
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| Makayla Reddington, center, holding her rescued stuffed animal, with her mother, Jane Reddington, and members of the Edison Fire Department. |
MYCENTRALJERSEY.COM - September 15, 2008 - "Please, please find my Angel!" Makayla Reddington pleaded with the firefighters.
As flames engulfed her family's apartment in the Durham Woods complex two weeks ago, a stuffed pink poodle called Angel was the only thing on the 9-year-old's mind.
The stuffed toy had belonged to her 32-year-old sister-in-law, Catherine, who recently died from pancreatic cancer.
"They were very, very close, called each other sisters," said Makayla's mother, Jane Reddington.
Deputy Fire Chief Ralph Ambrosio, who heard Makayla's plea, was touched.
He searched the ruins of the apartment for a while but could not find the stuffed animal.
But Ambrosio, knowing how precious the stuffed animal was to the little girl, returned in the early morning hours before any workers were scheduled to show up to clean the site — and found the stuffed animal, dirty and smelling of smoke, but intact.
"Everything was gone. But just this poodle was lying on top of the debris in one piece," the girl's mother said.
The stuffed animal was taken to Mary's Dry Cleaners on Old Post Road in Edison by Fire Inspector Brian Vicidomini. The store cleaned the toy free of charge and was able to restore it to very close to its original condition.
Members of the fire department who fought the Sept. 2 blaze, along with Ambrosio and Vicidomini, presented Angel to Makayla and her mother at the Durham Woods management office on Sept. 8.
Makayla was speechless.
"She went over to it, hugged and started to cry. Then she came over and hugged me," her mother said.
Fire officials said four second-floor units were destroyed in the blaze while at least four others sustained smoke, heat and water damage.
The three-alarm fire left a total of 45 residents, or 15 families, at least temporarily homeless.
Makayla and her family recently found a new place to live in Metuchen.
EDISON FIREFIGHTERS DONATE 200 CLUB VALOR AWARDS CASH PROCEEDS TO NEW JERSEY FIREMAN'S HOME
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1st
RESPONDER NEWS.COM - June 17, 2008 - On June 12
eight professional firefighters from the Edison Fire Department who were recent
recipients of valor awards from the 200 Club of Middlesex County donated the cash
portion of their awards to the New Jersey Firemen’s Home at a special ceremony
held at Edison’s Fire Station 2. An over sized symbolic check for $1,600
was presented to three retired firefighters who are currently residents at the
home.
Edison Fire Department Lieutenants Kenneth Milcsik, Duane Borwegen
and Joseph Horvath along with firefighters William Doherty, Phillip McManus, William
Pellegrino, Milton Asprocolas and Hared Shulamn were cited for exceptional valor.
The eight were recognized for three separate incidents where they rushed into
burning buildings to rescue occupants, all of whom were unconscious.
On June 2, 2007 Lt. Milcsik and Firefighter Doherty entered a heavily involved
fire at 82 Plainfield Avenue. They began searching for an elderly man reportedly
in a rear bedroom prior to the fire being controlled and in advance of a protective
hose line being stretched. The man was found unconscious on a bedroom floor and
successfully removed from the burning building.
On December 2, 2007 Lt.
Borwegen and other firefighters entered a structure fire at 12 Lily Court and
began searching for occupants in near zero visibility and high heat. Lt. Borwegen
and Firefighters McManus and Pellegrino entered the fire room and despite clear
dangers to themselves, found and successfully removed an unconscious woman lying
on the floor.
The third incident cited by the 200 Club occurred at a
structure fire on March 29, 2007 at Lydia Lane. Lt. Horvath and firefighters Asprocolas
and Schulman, despite battling zero visibility and extreme heat found and removed
a victim who was lying on the floor.
The firefighters were joined at
the ceremony by officials from the Edison Fire Fighters Association and Edison
Paid Fire Officers Association. Accepting the donation on behalf of the home were
67 year old Art Gibson who served 30 years wit the Camden Fire Department, 94
year old Jim Byrne who served 15 years with Rescue 1 in Lodi and 67 year old Bob
Cuess who served 7 years with Hook & Ladder in Little Ferry.
“This
is a great example of the fraternal and unique nature of the fire service,”
said Robert Yackel, President of the Edison Fire Fighters Association. “It’s
great to have a chance to spend some time and give back those who preceded us
in this in this noble calling.”
The New Jersey Firemen’s
Home located in Boonton was established in 1898 and is mandated by the state legislature
to care for the aged, indigent and disabled firefighters of New Jersey. It is
the only nursing home in the state dedicated exclusively to the care of firefighters.
Additional information on the New Jersey Firemen’s Home can be found at
www.njfh.org
MIDDLESEX COUNTY OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS HONORED FOR VALOR
MYCENTRALJERSEY.COM - It started as a "shots fired' call at 25 John St. in New Brunswick in what sounded to be a domestic violence complaint.
But moments after three city police officers arrived, it turned into a deadly gun battle that nearly killed a young patrolman. The 21-year-old gunman paid for the rampage with his life.
When Sgt. William Oels and Patrolmen Dean Dakin and Patrick Evans went to the scene on June 6, 2007, a man with a 9 mm handgun standing in the third-floor window of a townhouse had already opened fire on his girlfriend's car.
The gunman quickly turned to the officers.
"The shots sounded like explosions,' Oels said.
Patrolman Patrick Evans went down with a shot that hit him in the shoulder and another that struck him in the chest, the second round stopped by his bulletproof vest.
Oels dragged Evans to safety. The gunman, fired at Dakin.
Then both Dakin and Oels returned fire, bringing down Sixto Martinez, 21, also known as Javier Valentin, of South River.
For their work under fire, the three officers received Valor Awards on Thursday from the 200 Club of Middlesex County.
"I'm glad we made it out OK and I'm glad Officer Dakin was my partner. It could have turned out differently,' said Oels, 54, a 28-year veteran street cop in the city. "I guess it was just muscle memory. We did what we had to do.'
"We're real lucky to be here,' said Dakin, 39, an eight-year department veteran.
Evans, 23, returned to full duty months after being injured, despite having the one round still lodged in his body.
Their efforts were matched by Patrolmen Panagiotis Boulieris and John Wonski of the Perth Amboy Police Department 11 days earlier when a man armed with a Tec-9 assault weapon sprayed bullets into a group of people.
When the two patrolmen encountered the scene at Wagner Avenue and Spruce Street the crazed gunman was firing into a car, hitting a woman who fled to the vehicle to escape the gunfire.
The gunman turned toward Boulieris and Wonski. Boulieris, blocking Wonski's view, fired on the man, Edwin Cordero Jr., 27, striking him five times. But Cordero turned the Tec-9 on himself, taking his own life.
Fabia Aguilar, 26, a single mother of two from Plainfield, was killed, and three others were wounded.
Wonski and Boulieris, now a detective, also won Valor Awards on Thursday from the 200 Club, a service organization that assists the families of police, firefighters and emergency services workers with scholarship and other programs.
This year's ceremony at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe was dedicated to Joseph Murawski, a paramedic at Raritan Bay Medical Center who died of a heart attack while going to the aid of a motorist on the New Jersey Turnpike on June 17, 2007.
Ten other men won Valor Awards.
Lts. Kenneth Milcsik, Duane Borwegen and Joseph Horvath and firefighters William Doherty, Philip MacManus, William Pellegrino, Milton Asprocolas and Jared Schulman all of the Edison Fire Department saved three victims in three separate fires after running into burning buildings.
Patrolman Thomas Newbon of the Plainsboro Police Department rescued a woman from a burning vehicle on June 26, 2007.
Edison Patrolman Gerald Katula captured an armed robber on April 21, 2007.
Meritorious Awards were handed out to the following:
Lt. Andy Fresco and Patrolmen Brian Castles and Charles Zundel of the Edison Police Department for capturing an armed man on Jan. 6, 2007 en route to kill someone.
Detectives John Canavera, Brian Parente, Alan Sciarrillo and William Colletto of the Edison Police Department for foiling the robbery of a food deliveryman on May 10, 2007.
Sgt. Michael Bacorn and Patrolman Karl Murvay of the New Brunswick Police Department for convincing a man holding a knife to a woman's throat to surrender on Dec. 31, 2007.
Capt. Darren LaVigne and Sgt. Brian McCabe of the South Amboy Police Department for persuading a man threatening suicide to drop the knife he had to his throat on June 7, 2007.
Community Service Awards went to Detective John Roesler of the Woodbridge Police Department and Patrolman Jeffrey DelBuono of the Dunellen Police Department.
Also honored was retired chief of detectives of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, Silvio Donatelli.
EDISON FIRE POLICIES ENDANGER PUBLIC
MYCENTRALJERSEY.COM - Recent first responder policies enacted for fire and EMS emergencies by the Township of Edison are playing Russian roulette with public safety. These are nothing more than detrimental policies cutting corners and may well result in loss of life.
With a population of more than 100,000, Edison is one of New Jersey's largest municipalities and one with a complex mixture of residential, retail and industrial development.
There are numerous hotels, a public school system with 14,000 students, one of the nation's largest industrial parks, several major highways with extensive truck traffic and more than $7 billion in taxable properties. While Edison's infrastructure more closely resembles a small city as opposed to a rural township, policy makers have been slashing away at the township's ability to adequately respond to fire and medical emergencies and potential disasters on the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 287.
New policies mean Edison will have significant problems responding to two simultaneous emergencies. Incredibly, a resident whose house is on fire may need to rely on a department from a neighboring town to get there, if there is another significant fire in town simultaneously.
Edison's acting fire chief is no longer calling in off-duty professional firefighters to supplement the on-duty force if there are multiple emergencies depleting the available force, as in the past. Instead, he is crossing his fingers and hoping enough volunteers will show up. In December, when a townwide alert was put out to volunteers on a Sunday morning, only 14 of 50 showed up.
Fire grows exponentially by the minute and any delay can be the difference between rescuing a victim from a heavy fire and smoke condition or not. Such delays in response time imperil the lives of citizens and firefighters.
Another new mandate halts professional firefighters from responding when a 911 call comes in with a report of heart attack, stroke, choking or difficulty breathing. In such instances, fire rescue personnel are no longer immediately dispatched, deferring instead to volunteer companies. Only after volunteer companies report back that they are unavailable, would fire rescue personnel be dispatched.
In the case of any medical emergency, every second counts. This sort of policy might save a few dollars when the volunteer companies are available, but what are the victim's chances of survival when no one answers the call for 10 or 15 minutes? Fire and rescue should be first responders and not merely responders of last resort.
Training is vital for even veteran firefighters, but when new recruit training is cut from eight to 12 weeks down to just three weeks, how ready do you think these recruits will be when a major emergency occurs?
Why would the leadership of Edison's Fire Department, despite maintaining a 140-member professional fire force, prefer to rely on volunteers, some from other towns, who may or may not show up when the call comes? If these misguided policies were put in place to save money, it doesn't even save that much. The Edison Fire Department budget for 2006 was $16,796,209 or $167 per resident annually. That's 45 cents per day per resident.
Neighboring Woodbridge, with similar population size and area, has only 44 career firefighters and relies mostly on volunteers. It had a 2006 fire protection budget of $16,397,766 or $162 per resident. That's 44 cents per day.
I seriously doubt that the residents and business owners of Edison are willing to roll the dice on their lives and property to save just $5 per year. Lady luck has a place in the casinos of Atlantic City, but not when public safety is on the line.
Robert Yackel is president of Edison Firefighters Local 1197.
CLEARING THE SMOKE OBSCURING THE REAL PUBLIC PENSION VILLAINS
HOME NEWS TRIBUNE - January 13, 2008 - For almost a decade, public employees have continually had their pensions under attack by the very same politicians who have disregarded their pension obligations and used our retirement money as their personal slush fund to help cover up financial mismanagement and the lining of their own pockets. In doing so, they have completely destroyed the overall health and condition of our pension fund.
Ironically, now that their free ride is coming to an end and they must start making restitution, they are blaming the same public employees for the increase in their budgets. In short, these unscrupulous politicians have saved billions of dollars on the backs of public employees and now they are attacking and threatening the jobs of these same proud employees.
While there are several different public employee pension funds, the Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS) seems to always be one of the funds in the spotlight when these unethical politicians start pointing fingers. As to be expected, they blame most financial problems on our pension fund but forget to inform the public of some very important details. Police and firefighters are not eligible for Social Security when they retire. With that being said, municipalities save millions of dollars by not contributing to Social Security on our behalf.
In addition, despite what some people would like for you to believe, police and firefighters have never expected a free ride. Besides the supposed employer contributions, we also contribute a large percentage to our pension fund. Furthermore, unlike those in the private sector who may be eligible for Social Security, a company pension, yearly bonuses, stock options and a company-matched 401(k), policemen and firefighters have only our PFRS pension to rely on for retirement.
So we ask, when you hear elected officials attacking public pensions, think of the policemen, firefighters and other municipal workers who unselfishly give of themselves in the dangerous professions that most people choose not to enter and put the blame where it belongs — in the laps of the lawmakers.
Scott Law
Second vice president
Professional Firefighters Association
EDISON
MORE BAD NEWS FOR PUBLIC PENSIONS
HOME NEWS TRIBUNE - December 23, 2007 - It hardly came as a surprise this week to find that when the Pew Center on the States released its findings of a year-long study on state pension funds, New Jersey was among the most troubled. In fact, since misery likes company, there may even have been some comfort in knowing that other states also have failed to adequately save for future pension and health insurance premium pay-outs. According to the Pew study, the nation as a whole is on the hook for $2.7 trillion worth of pensions and health benefits for state employees. And it is at least 25 percent short.
Still, even among all that bad news, New Jersey stood out. The state has made the smallest pension fund payments of any state every year since 2002, when it paid only 3 percent of what it owed. In 2006, it paid just 27 percent of what was due. Even next year, under a governor who claims to be fixing these problems, the state will contribute a measly 60 percent of what is due. The state simply can't afford to do more. Even the 60 percent figure represents an increase of $340 million, revenue that must be acquired from somewhere.
Pew says to be healthy, funds should carry at least 80 percent of their future pay-outs.
The good news is that, despite all this negligence, New Jersey's pension has 79 percent of what analysts say it owes its vested employees. The bad news is that that number does not include the state's unfunded health insurance liabilities. Pew said the state had $23.1 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. The state says its unfunded retiree benefits are more than double that: $58 billion.
The numbers are so big, it's almost impossible to grasp. The consequences, alas, are more immediately felt. The headline on a New York Times story on the report was "Pension Fund Shortages Create Hard Choices," and went on to say, "While some states are managing their costs reasonably well, the center found that others, like New Jersey and West Virginia, have made serious mistakes and are now cutting education and health programs as they struggle with costs incurred decades ago."
Education is the easiest target, since it absorbs such a large part of the budget. Schools got their first increase in funding in several years last year and they are promised another this year. Still, at least some educators believe the governor's new funding formula is designed to drive down the state's share of educational costs. If this is true, it will be devastating for the state.
New Jersey also has struggled to maintain vital health insurance services; a well-conceived proposal to extend insurance to low-income adults who do not qualify for Medicaid, however, remains unfunded, as does a proposal to offer universal health care to all citizens.
These are the real costs of the state's negligence. And as the years pass, those costs are likely to be felt even more.
BOOK
TELLS HISTORY OF FIREFIGHTING
Proceeds from sales
to be donated to St. Barnabas Burn Foundation
SENTINAL - December 12, 2007 - EDISON - Firefighting is in Edison resident Eugene Enfield's blood - his grandfather was a firefighter in Iselin. His father was a volunteer firefighter in northern Edison. He, himself, became a volunteer firefighter at age 18 and a career firefighter four years later.
With this in mind, Enfield was puzzled about why, when he ran into former Edison fire chief H. Ray Vliet at JFK Hospital, he had had no idea who Vliet was.
"I think it's kind of embarrassing if you don't know your roots, and at that point, he was only two chiefs prior to the one that is there," said Enfield. "I think it's important for firefighters, particularly in a department, to know their roots."
With this in mind, Enfield set about the task of compiling a photographic history of the Edison Fire Department, from the inception of the all-volunteer Raritan Engine Company No. 1 to the department's current incarnation. The fruits of his labor have recently been published and became available in stores on Dec. 10. The proceeds from his book sales will benefit the St. Barnabas Burn Foundation.
Enfield, a soft-spoken man who talks in a slow, thoughtful manner, began his research when he again ran into Vliet, this time at a firehouse showing people old photographs. Enfield brought up the possibility of using the old photographs to make a history book, an idea that drew strong approval from Vliet. At that point, Enfield began a nine-month-long process of collecting photographs and interviewing retired firefighters to get the stories behind them.
"[I] just kept on looking in the white pages and trying to find telephone numbers and asking if they had any photographs or any information, anything that could help me out," said Enfield.
Another great help, he said, was finding the commissioner logs, where firefighters of ages past would record meeting minutes, which were instrumental in helping to find the former chiefs and members of volunteer companies.
The result is a book with more than 200 photographs involving Edison's firefighters, with captions to go along with each one. Combined, they weave a historical narrative of firefighting in Edison.
"I enjoyed every bit of it. I liked talking to the retired firefighters and I could see them smiling and reminiscing, and when I handed over a picture … [they were] able to look at it, and you see someone light up and they go, 'Oh, I remember this day,' and they start pointing to people and identifying the people in the picture," Enfield said.
According to Enfield's book, the township, which had been called Raritan until the name change to Edison in 1954, had originally been divided into five independent volunteer fire companies: Raritan Engine Company No. 1, which covered the southern section of the township; Edison Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, which covered the Menlo Park section of town; Raritan Engine Company No. 2, which covered the Clara Barton section of town; H.K. Volunteer Fie Company, which covered the northern area of town; and Oak Tree Volunteer Fire Company, which covered the Oak Tree section of town.
Enfield said that he was surprised at how much the early fire companies emphasized personal conduct: he said that early firefighters would get a 25-cent fine, no small change around the turn of the century, every time they were caught swearing in the firehouse.
The five independent districts were formed into one department under the municipal government during a change in government in 1958 under the Faulkner Act. This transformed the various firefighting companies in Edison into the fire department residents see today.
In his book, Enfield also talks about the various ways that fighting fires has changed over the past century. Technology, he noted, has definitely come far. Some fire companies, for example, started out by bringing horse-drawn wagons, not roaring engines, to fires. The Oak Tree Volunteer Fire Company first fought fires using buckets and grass beaters (lengths of pipe attached to leather, used to beat out brush fires) and would be called to alert by having someone bang something against the nearby train tracks.
The responsibilities of the fire department have also changed, according to Enfield. The department now handles hazardous waste removal as well as rescuing people from burning cars.
"But as far as the firefighter itself, they're pretty much the same, with what I gathered in my research: you have an individual, and the individual has that desire to help people, … helping his community," said Enfield.
The book closes with a section on famous fires that the township has experienced, such as the gas explosion at Durham Woods in 1994 and a chemical fire at a pesticide plant in 1964.
Enfield said he hopes that the book can serve firefighters looking to reminisce, as well as be a history lesson for people looking to know more about how the fire department in Edison works.
"I just think that this book is beneficial not only to firefighters and their family members but to their community as a whole, because … it's a learning experience. They could reminisce about certain places and events … and I think overall it's a good way to restore history with the use of the vintage photographs and the information provided in the captions," said Enfield.
Enfield will hold a book signing and sale at the Seasons restaurant on Route 27 on Sunday, Dec. 16, starting at 1 p.m.
The book is titled "Edison Firefighting," is published by Arcadia Publishing and costs $19.99. It is available at area bookstores, independent retailers, online bookstores or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or (888) 313-2665.
TWO NEW JERSEY LOCALS CALL FOR ACTING CHIEF'S RESIGNATION
IAFF - December 6, 2007 - Members of two New Jersey locals – Edison Township Local 1197 and Edison Professional Fire Officers Local 2883 – are calling for Acting Fire Chief Norman Jensen’s resignation. Fire fighters say Jensen’s changes to fire service operations have put the lives of fire fighters and the citizens they serve in jeopardy.
Specific issues with Jensen include: changes to dispatch protocol, officers taken off apparatus and lack of recruit fire fighter training.
Past practice called for a dual EMS system with a volunteer rescue squad and professional EMTs responding. Now, if the volunteer ambulance claims to be available, they are dispatched. Local 1197 and Local 2883 are concerned that the volunteer squads do not always respond in a timely fashion.
In a recent incident, a volunteer squad was dispatched to respond to a stroke patient at one of Edison’s senior centers. Professional paramedics were sent to assist. But when the professional paramedics arrived 15 minutes after the volunteer squad was sent, they discovered that the volunteer squad never responded. The patient later died at the hospital.
“There is no way to know for sure if this patient would have survived had the response been faster,” says Scott Law, vice president for Edison Township Local 1197. “But the patient’s chances would have been much greater had help arrived sooner. This is just one example of how Jensen’s dispatch protocol change is putting citizens’ lives at greater risk.”
Another major concern is that there is no longer an officer assigned to one of the busiest stations. The officer at that station was reassigned to a slower station. Now the station with lower call volume has two officers.
“We were never given an official reason as to why Acting Chief Jensen made that decision, but coincidentally, all of Local 1197’s executive board work out of the slower fire station,” reports Law.
Jensen has also made questionable changes to recruit fire fighter training. As a combination department, Edison is required to provide the same basic training to professional and volunteer fire fighters. But, professional fire fighters require an addition 10 weeks of training.
“Now, our new recruits are not getting any additional training past the first three weeks of basic training,” says Law. “If our new fire fighters don’t get adequate training, a big gamble is being taken every time they respond to an emergency. The risk is too great when you are talking about potential loss of lives.”
This is the second attempt by Edison fire fighters to call attention to Jensen’s inadequacies. They issued a vote of no confidence in April 2007.
PFANJ - NJFOP FILE PENSION PROTECTION ACTION IN STATE SUPERIOR COURT
 |
| President Canzanella with
NJ Fraternal Order |
PFANJ - On Tuesday, October 4, 2005, the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey partnered with the New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police in the implementation of a lawsuit filed in Superior Court of the State of New Jersey calling into the question the legality of continued underfunding of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System. PFANJ President Tom Canzanella joined NJFOP President Ed Brannigan at a midday news conference conducted at the State House in Trenton for the formal announcement. Below is an excerpt from the press briefing.
The Police and Firemen's Retirement System of New Jersey (PFRS) held a surplus of approximately $938,000,000 in FY2000 drawing down to a deficit of approximately $3,574,000,000 for FY2004. This $4.5 billion dollar deterioration is largely the result of legislation (S-2586 of 2003) that permitted municipal employers of law enforcement officers and firefighters to defer and discount employer required contributions to the PFRS, in association with the State of New Jersey's own failure to make required contributions.
During
this same time frame, police officers and firefighters continued to make their
own statutorily required contributions totaling 8.5% of their base annual salaries,
one, if not the highest public safety employee pension contribution rate in the
Nation.
The State
of New Jersey and its municipalities were first relieved of their obligations
to make employer required
contributions in 1997, when legislation was enacted
that revised the method of accounting and valuing plan assets. Under this new
and more creative method of accounting, the value of PFRS assets was purposely
and substantially increased, resulting in intended excess or more accurately,
inflated assets.
Accordingly, the State and its municipalities used those enhanced assets as a manner in which to relieve themselves of their obligation to match employee contributions for the purpose of tax relief. Despite the "free ride" afforded to both the State and municipalities, police officers and firefighters remained obligated, and so did they continue, to contribute 8.5% of their base annual salaries for which they have neither sought nor been granted any similar relief.
In 2003, with those self-created inflated assets running dry, despite facing a growing PFRS deficit, and in order to provide continued budgetary relief to municipalities who had by their own admission made no provisions whatsoever to resume employer contributions, the State Treasurer proposed, and the Legislature adopted, an initiative (S-2586) permitting municipalities to pay only a discounted fraction of their required pension contributions.
Adding insult to injury, despite the fact that the foregoing legislation in no way extended the State a like ability to skip or discount badly needed pension contributions, they did so nonetheless, paying only a fraction of their required obligation. Again, and to this day as we go forward, police officers and their firefighter counterparts remain obligated to contribute 8.5% of their base annual salaries serving as the sole and sustaining guaranteed plan income.
As
a result of the aforementioned legislation, and in association with the States
non-legislated failure to required contributions, the PFRS funding ratio, which
indicates the financial soundness of the plan, has fallen from 105.65 % for FY2000,
to 100.85% for FY2001, to 95.82% for FY2002, to 88.45% for FY2003 and to 83.95%
for FY2004.
Enactment
of the 2003 legislation, in association with the State's failure to make their
own proper contributions absent legal legislative authority, deprives the PFRS
of the funds necessary to maintain it on a sound actuarial reserve basis. An undeniable
consequence of this failed scheme is the alarmingly significant reduction in plan
earnings from investments and interest that would have been derived from skipped
and substandard contributions. The foregoing serving to jeopardize the financial
soundness of the plan and its ability to make good on earned benefits as they
come due in the future. In that regard, the complete and total lack of prudent
fiscal judgment demonstrated by the strategy articulated in S-2586, relying upon
the exclusive use of employee contributions to either sustain or accordingly grow
the plan, that resulted in the type of significant funding losses sustained over
the last several years represents an abdication of fiduciary responsibilities
in its purest form.
The
complaint seeks to declare the 2003 legislation (S-2586) unconstitutional, to
end any conflict of interest that would allow the State Treasurer to determine
type and variety of contributions aside from statutory law, and to direct defendants
to make regular full payments to the PFRS for FY2004, FY2005, and beyond, in accordance
with fiscally responsible actuarial calculations.
The plaintiffs, Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey, I.A.F.F.-AFL-CIO, and the New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police, along with representative active and retired members and widows of members of these two unions who have been affected by this failure to adequately fund the plan, are represented by the law firm of Greenberg, Dauber, Epstein & Tucker of Newark.
The
PFANJ/IAFF and NJFOP represent the majority of career professional firefighters
and law enforcement officers throughout the State of New Jersey and this Nation.
Named as defendants in this action are the State of New Jersey, John McCormac- Treasurer, the New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly.
