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.
 |
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.
 |
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.
 |
"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
 |
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.
 |
"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."
POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS' UNIONS ENDORSE EDISON MAYORAL HOPEFUL RICIGLIANO
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - May 15, 2009 - The local police and firefighters' unions have endorsed the challenger to incumbent Mayor Jun Choi — Antonia Ricigliano and her slate of candidates — for mayor and Township Council in the June 2 primary.
"Ricigliano's a tough lady, she can be tough to deal with, but she's honest," said Robert Yackel, president of the Edison Fire Fighters Association Local 1197.
Yackel added that Ricigliano would be a "great mayor because she really cares about Edison and is not looking for further political office."
The firefighters' union had endorsed Mayor Jun Choi in the 2005 election but the alliance didn't last too long.
Union leaders had said the relationship soured after Choi refused to hire more personnel for the fire department.
The administration always said the union turned its back on Choi after contract negotiations didn't go the way the union wanted.
Yackel said the 105-member union voted to support Ricigliano and is doing everything it can to help her campaign, including raising funds and knocking on doors for support.
Michael Schwarz, president of the Edison PBA Local 75 said the police union is endorsing Ricigliano because of "her integrity as a person." He added, "She is the least political person, who has a grassroots connection with the community."
A call to Choi seeking comment was returned by his campaign spokesman Mike Barfield, who said, "Toni Ricigliano is embracing the special interests that bloated the budget and bankrupted Edison government during her 33 years in politics."
Schwarz said Ricigliano told him early on that "she makes no promises, no paybacks if she gets into office."
He added that the police union has not made any donations to her campaign yet.
Ricigliano's slate of council candidates include Robert Diehl, Tom Lankey and Charles Tomaro.
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."
LOCAL DEMS NOT BACKING CHOI IN PRIMARY
Current council member Ricigliano has support instead
SENTINEL - March 25, 2009 - Middlesex County Democratic Party Chairman Joseph Spicuzzo feels that incumbent Edison Mayor Jun Choi has not received the support of county committee members, something that may impede his ability to get past the June primary.
Choi's prime rival for the Democratic spot in the general election, current council member Antonia Ricigliano, is the only candidate screening for the party's nomination.
"She has the Democratic line, and so of course we will support her," Spicuzzo said. "I don't normally get involved in primary battles, but this time I have to say that he [Choi] hasn't received the support of Democratic Committee members. This time around, the people are behind Ricigliano."
According to Spicuzzo, "It was awkward" that Choi didn't want to be screened for the party nomination. The deadline for candidates to file to be screened was earlier this month.
"I guess he decided that he wouldn't have the support of the committee members," Spicuzzo said. "I feel like he should have screened at the very least. Now he's going to find it very hard just to even get out of the June primary."
Conversely, Choi's political director, Mike Barfield, said that the mayor's choice to not be screened should not have an adverse impact on his campaign.
"This was the correct move for Jun Choi," Barfield said. "People know what he has done for Edison Township in his four years in office. The response to his candidacy has been positive, even with him not being screened."
Choi ran off the party line four years ago and won the primary. He eventually gained the backing of the party for the general election.
Barfield also stated that "the local party represents the broken political system of the past."
"That system was plagued by political corruption and a system that really didn't serve the people properly," Barfield said. "The local party needs to be reformed and the mayor is in the midst of doing just that."
Spicuzzo, who has been the committee chairman for "about 15 or 16 years," stated that he has always been in touch with many local mayors, but with Choi, that cannot be said. "I talk to many political figures in our area, especially mayors," Spicuzzo said. "With Jun Choi though, it's been different. He hasn't elicited any ideas from me. I think in his four years, he could have mended a few more fences than he has. He's alienated many good Democrats and now he's in a really tough spot with the primary coming up."
RICIGLIANO WANTS MAYOR'S PAY AND PERKS CUT
SENTINEL - March 25, 2009 - As part of her bid to unseat incumbent Edison Mayor Jun Choi, CouncilwomanAntonia Ricigliano says that, if elected, she would cut the mayor's salary, turn down taxpayer-paid medical benefits and drive her own vehicle to work.
"I'm sending a clear message that I'm serious about saving taxpayers' money," Ricigliano said. "Fiscal responsibility must start at the top and continue to every facet of municipal government."
Much of the criticism of Choi comes in the wake of his salary being raised from $49,000 to $75,000, a 53-percent increase, in October of last year, via a 4-3 vote [Ricigliano cast one of the dissenting votes]. Initially, he was seeking to nearly double his salary to $97,000.
"Being Edison's mayor is not about salary or fringe benefits. It's about providing quality services to hardworking people who live in our town," Ricigliano said.
Mike Barfield, Choi's political director, stated that the mayor's salary is in line with those of other mayors of large municipalities.
"If she [Ricigliano] doesn't want to serve the people full time, then that's unfortunate to hear," Barfield said. "Jun Choi is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week mayor and deserves a full-time salary. Edison is the fifth largest municipality in our state and has over 100,000 residents. It is certainly a full-time job."
Ricigliano also supports the gradual replacement of Edison's vehicle fleet with fuel-efficient hybrids and would continue to promote that practice if elected.
"When I am elected, the mayor's hybrid SUV will get far better gas mileage because I won't be driving it," she said. "I can drive my own car to work. I can buy my own gasoline and pay for my own EZ-Pass."
Barfield also stated that Choi has done plenty to save money for the township.
"The mayor has certainly streamlined local government in many ways," he said. "The municipal work force has been cut by 10 percent due to attrition and he has worked diligently to find ways to help the people of Edison."
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
READER SAYS GET BACK TO BASICS WITH COUNCILWOMAN
SENTINEL - March 25, 2009 - Election time is nearing, and the lies people aligned with Mayor Jun Choi are telling are sickening. Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano is known to be a proponent of the people; she has stood up when others turned their backs on the residents of Edison, particularly the south end. She voted down budgets that came across her desk during the Spadoro administration. In fact, the only budget that she voted for was Choi's, after she whittled it down on behalf of the taxpayers.
She has tried to work with Choi to lead him in the right direction. As they say, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."
Ricigliano has voted on capital budgets in the past, but they were not designed to supplement the annual budget as this was. Choi is a shrewd politician. He grabbed headlines touting a budget (5.4 percent) under the rate of inflation. He didn't get the $1.5 million from Hartz Mountain; now he's over the rate of inflation.
Two weeks ago, he tried to steal $8 million from Edison taxpayers by bonding for television sets, folding tables and chairs, paper and pencils, among other things. After careful review, three council members correctly voted it down. These items are not worth borrowing for 15 years, regardless of low-interest rates. Mayor Choi should understand that the average pencil lasts about 10 days. We shouldn't pay 15 years for a pencil.
On Feb. 25, Choi's council surreptitiously added an additional 2 percent to the budget, with millions hidden in surpluses, bringing his budget to 8 percent. Councilwoman Ricigliano again tried to point out the need for tax relief, but Choi's handpicked council rubberstamped it anyway. I voted for Ricigliano because she is willing and able to lead with common sense and is an independent thinker, not a tax-andspend politician. Let's get back to basics by electing this sensible, outspoken leader as mayor. Go, Toni, go … we're rooting for you.
Eric Garbella
Edison
COUNTY, TOWNSHIP DEMOCRATS NOT BACKING INCUMBANT EDISON MAYOR IN JUNE PRIMARY
MY CENTRAL JERSEY.COM - March 16, 2009 - The Middlesex County Democratic Committee will follow the lead of its counterpart in Edison, endorsing a rival running against incumbent Mayor Jun Choi in the June primary.
"We always endorse the party candidate," said county party chairman Joseph Spicuzzo.
On Thursday, the Edison Democratic Committee will formally endorse its candidate for mayor — Antonia Ricigliano, who is the only candidate screening for the party's nomination.
The deadline for candidates to file to screen before the organization was March 6.
"Choi didn't even bother to file," said Thomas Paterniti, the veteran chairman of the township's Democratic committee.
Choi responded that he was only interested in seeking the support of voters and not of "an outdated, out-of-touch party organization."
"What we need in Edison is a renewed Democratic party that is focused on good government and not infighting among themselves," said Choi, who waged an unsuccessful bid for the party chairman's post against Paterniti two years ago.
In the 2005 election, Choi ran off the party line and, after winning the primary, gained the backing of the Democratic party for the November election.
Paterniti said Ricigliano "is a very hardworking person and very well-liked."
He pointed to the 2005 election in which Ricigliano ran for Township Council as an independent on mayoral candidate Bill Stephens' ticket and beat the Democratic committee candidate on Choi's ticket.
"That should tell you how strong a candidate she is," Paterniti said.
His support for her comes despite the fact that Ricigliano has in the past taken on the Democratic committee as well.
"So what? Even Jun (Choi) has had battles with the party, but we supported him in the last general election," Paterniti said.
Ricigliano has served as a Democratic committeewoman for about 30 years and on the council for eight nonconsecutive years.
The Democratic committee slate will also include three council candidates — council President Robert Diehl, former council resident and Paterniti's son-in-law Charles Tomaro, and Thomas Lankey.
Paterniti said since they were the only three candidates who filed for the three seats, they, along with Ricigliano, will gain the backing of the party "by acclamation."
Lankey, 48, senior vice president for long-term care at JFK Medical Center in the township, is making his first run for political office.
The 48-year-old longtime Edison resident said he thought his experience with finances - he has an accounting degree - would prove useful, given the direction the township is going with increasing tax rates.
Choi has not yet announced his slate of council candidates.
The township's Republican party has not yet announced its nominees. Chairwoman Sylvia Engel said the party's deadline for candidates to file is April 6.
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.
RICIGLIANO RECEIVES BACKING FOR MAYORAL RUN
Massaro, Diehl unite with eight-year council member in run for office
SENTINEL - March 11, 2009 - In an effort to defeat current Edison Mayor Jun Choi, Township Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano is not only running for his spot, she has the backing of two fellow members of the council who had pondered going for the top spot.
Council members Anthony Massaro and Robert Diehl will back Ricigliano's bid to become the township's first female mayor.
Ricigliano said her first inclination to run for mayor came as a result of a number of polls conducted a few months ago to see who among the trio would be the strongest candidate.
"In the first two polls, I came out on top but not by much. Then there was a third poll that was conducted and I got a phone call from somebody saying that I was up by a significant margin in that one," Ricigliano explained. "I was told it was about 20 points or so, and that was surprising to me.
"Less than a month ago, they came up to me and said they'd back me in my run for mayor."
In a press release issued by Ricigliano, Diehl said that "Toni understands the needs of our residents and has been tireless with her fight to protect Edison taxpayers."
He also stated in the release that he will be seeking for re-election to the Township Council. Massaro will not be following suit.
"I am abandoning my quest for the nomination to run as mayor of Edison Township for the sake of party unity," Massaro said in the release. "I fully support Toni Ricigliano's candidacy for mayor because our view [is that] the way Mayor Choi has outspent the last administration [is] appalling."
Ricigliano, who has served eight years on the council via two nonconsecutive terms, believes that elected officials can do a better job overall within Edison.
"I see a lot of bloated spending out there, and especially in this financial climate we need to be even more aware of what is going on," Ricigliano said. "The current mayor hasn't done this at all. Things were promised, and they haven't worked out. Things are always done behind closed doors, and it's just not right. For more than three years this mayor has had the opportunity to provide real tax relief for the residents, and he has failed."
Other than the mayor's spot, three Township Council seats are up for grabs in the November election.
Spokespeople for Choi were 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.
|
|
"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.
FEDERAL LAW TO REQUIRE HIGH-VISIBILITY VESTS
Law to go into effect Nov. 24
FIREHOUSE.COM - November 19, 2008 - On Nov. 24, a federal law goes into effect requiring anyone working along a highway to wear a high-visibility vest.
The regulation is designed to reduce the number of injuries and deaths of responders while on the nation's highways.
So far this year, at least 50 firefighters, rescue personnel and police officers have been struck while performing duties along the road, according to statistics compiled by officials at ResponderSafety.com.
"While we try to grab every struck-by, we know we are missing many," said Steve Austin, an official with Cumberland Valley Firemen's Association.
Austin said it's unfortunate that there is no way to capture a more realistic picture of the problem. "There are probably thousands of injuries annually that no one knows about. That's because there is no central repository."
His group provides training and resources focusing on placement of vehicles along the road and other aspects of responder safety.
While wearing high-visibility vests are a good idea, law makers didn't consult fire officials while they were inking the regulations.
The garments don't meet standards to be worn by personnel actively engaged in firefighting or hazardous materials operations. Some, however, are flame-resistant.
Officials from the major fire service organizations - IAFC, NVFC, IAFF and Emergency Responder Safety Institute - are working on a document to fix that problem. However, those changes will not be reviewed by federal authorities until next year.
"We're asking people to use their common sense," he said. "Everyone knows it's dangerous to be operating along a highway."
As with many federal regulations, there are no penalties involved for those who don't comply. However, the civil liability is paramount.
"While there won't be someone out there issuing you a ticket for not wearing a vest on a federally supported highway, it's essential that responders obey. It's up to the chief to enforce the rules just as they would any other."
Austin said the bottom line is to protect responders while they work in a very dangerous environment - the highway.
More information about the regulation can be obtained from ResponderSafety.com
Click here to download a Generic High Visibility Vest S.O.P. and modify it to meet your needs. Respondersafety.com receives at least one request a day for clarification on how to deal with the “blackout period” November 24, 2008, the date the Federal Rule takes effect, and the issuance of the new Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) scheduled for publication in 2009.
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
 |
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.
NEW BOOK TELLS STORY OF FIREFIGHTERS' RESPONSE TO HURRICANE KATRINA
IAFF -
October 27, 2008 - Three years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the
Gulf Coast, a new book – The St. Bernard Fire Department in Hurricane
Katrina – recounts the experiences of St. Bernard Parish fire fighters
in the days following the storm.
In St. Bernard Parish, where major
levees failed and lines of communication were destroyed, Parish fire fighters
ignored their own losses and focused on saving the lives and property of others,
including 6,000 stranded residents.
Through the storm’s destructive
winds and rain and ensuing floods, St. Bernard Parish fire fighters became the
region’s EMTs, rescue and recovery workers, mechanics, social workers and
provisions providers. The St. Bernard Fire Department in Hurricane Katrina tells
the amazing and often harrowing stories of the men and women who performed their
jobs under extremely dangerous and stressful circumstances.
Written
by Michelle Mahl Buuck, whose father and son were both members of the St. Bernard
Parish Fire Department during Hurricane Katrina, the book serves as a record of
the area’s hardships and of the first responders whose stories are often
forgotten.
IAFF 14th District Vice President Danny Todd praises the book
for depicting the “dedication, compassion, ingenuity and selflessness”
of St. Bernard Parish Local 1468 fire fighters in the days following the storm.
“These fire fighters rescued and assisted residents knowing that they had
lost everything while facing uncertainty about their own families. That they operated
under such stress makes these stories even more remarkable.”
Proceeds
from the sales of The St. Bernard Fire Department in Hurricane Katrina
benefit the St. Bernard Parish Local 1468. To order copies, click
here or contact Pelican Publishing Company at (800) 843-1724.
DOMINICK
MARINO October 10, 2008 To All PFANJ Members. We have just been notified by the office of our longtime friend and supporter of the PFANJ, Congressman Bill Pascrell, that the IRS just postponed implementation of the IRS retirement regulation until the year 2011. We will continue to keep a close eye on the situation and send updated information when it becomes available. This gives us the opportunity to make it right. Fraternally, Dominick
Marino
|
EDISON FIREFIGHTERS ASSAIL MAYOR
NJ.COM - September 24, 2008 - Fifty Edison firefighters, their spouses and supporters rallied outside town hall last night in a prelude to new battle brewing between the fire union and Mayor Jun Choi.
Scott Law, second vice president of Edison Firefighters Local 1197, wanted to know "what's the mayor got to hide" as news spread that last night's scheduled meeting of the township council's public safety committee was canceled.
Choi did not call the session and was not expected to attend -- yet his name was uttered in nearly every conversation as the firefighters vented anger over the administration's management of the department.
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. Law pointed out there were 147 firefighters when Choi took office three years ago, and now there are 136.
Last night's committee meeting was organized by Councilman An thony Massaro, chairman of the public safety committee and a fre quent critic of the mayor. The agenda was supposed to be manpower and safety issues raised by Yackel.
But during a closed-door meet ing of the council Monday night, Massaro said, a majority decided to reschedule his meeting. No new date was set, however. "I guess some people have forgotten the issue is public safety," Massaro said in brief remarks to the 50 firefighters outside town hall.
In a phone interview yesterday afternoon, Councilman Wayne Mascola said even though he is a member of the public safety committee, he was never consulted about Massaro's plans for last night's meeting.
"This is nothing but a witch hunt," Mascola said, adding, "It's a way to drum up campaign support." Mascola is aligned with Choi, along with Councilwoman Melissa Perlstein, who also questioned the nature of the forum. "Are we really getting at the issues or is this just a politicization of the issues," she said.
Choi could not be reached for comment last night.
Massaro and one of his allies, Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano, argued a public meeting should be convened on the issues raised by Yackel. The union leader has claimed the township was at risk earlier this month when many of the firefighters were in Sayreville for a training course at the Middlesex County Fire Academy.
Fire Chief Norman Jensen maintained, however, that all precautions were taken and equip ment and personnel were placed in strategic locations to respond to any alarms. He said fire departments in neighboring communities also were alerted and would have been available to assist. The fire chief said the township was never jeopardized.
Yet, William Lukeman, a postal employee, said he is ready to testify before the township officials that he had more than $150,000 worth of damage to his home and RV be cause of a fire that occurred when most of Edison's firefighters were in Sayreville.
Lukeman said 11 minutes elapsed between when he called for help and the first fire engine arrived.
EDSION COUNCIL MULLS RAISING MAYOR'S SALARY
MYCENTRALJERSEY.COM - September 23, 2008 - The Township Council will get a chance in the next few weeks to decide whether to give the mayor a raise.
An ordinance to amend the mayor's salary was to be introduced tonight's council meeting. A vote to adopt it could occur as early as Wednesday, Oct. 8.
The proposed ordinance would increase the salary of township Mayor Jun Choi from the $49,000 range to a maximum of $75,000.
Choi currently makes approximately $49,000 annually.
"This is a full-time mayoral position with full-time responsibilities," said township spokesman Jerry Barca. "In this town, the CEO is responsible for the public safety, welfare and health of more than 100,000 residents and a $118 million budget. When you look at comparable local towns, this proposed salary would be the least of what other mayors are being paid."
Barca noted that the money for the proposed salary increase has already been built into the fiscal 2009 budget which will see a 4.9 percent increase — less than the rate of inflation.
Barca noted that many full-time mayors in surrounding townships make considerably more than the $49,000 compensation package currently offered in Edison.
A comparison of salaries for mayoral positions from the 2007 Municipal Salary Report of the New Jersey League of Municipalities shows that Woodbridge pays its mayor an annual salary of $75,000 while Perth Amboy pays $100,283 and Carteret pays $75,000 - all more than Choi's current salary.
EDISON FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE LITTLE GIRL'S CHERISHED TOY FROM BURNING APARTMENT
 |
| 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.
LOSS
OF STATE AID SPURS WARNINGS OF CUTS, TAX HIKES
Local
officials say services could be trimmed and workers laid off
NJ.COM - June 25, 2008 - All but three of New Jersey's 566 cities and towns will see their state aid shrink under the state's new $32.9 billion budget, leading local officials to warn of property tax hikes, service cutbacks or public employee layoffs.
The reductions total $162 million, but Gov. Jon Corzine insisted yesterday they are not as bad as they appear. He said a $570 million increase in local school aid will far outweigh the municipal aid cuts.
Overall, the municipalities will share $1.6 billion over the next 12 months. The governor's aides point out that the cuts represent 1.5 percent of the $12 billion that cities and towns around the state will spend in the next year.
"They did take tough municipal aid hits, I understand that, just as the state government has taken a tough hit," Corzine said at the Statehouse. "But I will repeat what I have said over time. We have put $570 million into education spend ing, and it's $160 million in cuts in municipal aid. Since property taxes are 55 percent on average driven by school costs, people have a hard time arguing the overall impact will be as tough as is being suggested.
"I understand there are different impacts on different communities but putting into school funding what we are taking in municipal aid is going to where property taxes are driven," Corzine said.
William G. Dressel, director of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, said the aid loss is the worst he has seen in his 34 years in lobbying for cities and towns.
"The fact of the matter is that for every dollar lost, there is going to have to be a reduction in services, an increase in property taxes or a combination of both," Dressel said.
Newark will see the biggest dol lar loss. Aid to the state's largest city drops by $5.4 million to $108 million, according to figures provided to legislators by the Department of Community Affairs.
A complete town-by-town list has not yet been made public by DCA, but here are other examples from the data provided to lawmak ers:
Elizabeth was cut $1.7 million to $34.1 million; East Orange was cut $1.5 million to $25.7 million, and Woodbridge was cut $1.3 million to $29.9 million.
Bloomfield lost $616,277, West Orange $461,174, Raritan Township $231,692, New Brunswick $971,014, Edison $931,952, Morris Township $322,348, Bridgewater $522,217, Hillsborough $388,410, Vernon $244,285, Plainfield $683,482, Rah way $373,140 and Hackettstown $246,013.
Edison Mayor Jun Choi said the aid reduction "means there is a threat of significant service cuts" for a township "that's already downsized and has worked hard to improve efficiency." The mayor said non-essential services will be the first to feel the loss, but the cuts also will force him to review all township services and could result in cuts to police and fire protection. "All options are on the table," Choi said.
Anticipating the cuts, Rahway Mayor James Kennedy said his city, among other things, did not replace government workers who retired or resigned. The mayor said he saved $70,000 by not filling a senior public works position and saved another $50,000 by phasing out another public works job.
Kennedy said smaller towns may feel the sting of lost aid more than Rahway. "We gobbled up that $300,000," Kennedy said. "We think (the city has) managed better."
Corzine initially proposed cutting $190 million in aid, but some was restored in negotiations between the governor and lawmak ers.
While the new figures give Bridgewater about $32,000 more than it would have received under Corzine's original plan, the loss of more than half a million dollars is "disheartening," township administrator James Naples said. "We're disappointed that the entire cut was not restored," he said.
Dressel said state aid dollars are "property tax relief dollars" and the reductions come at a bad time.
"The economy is faltering, and housing and economic development is literally on its heels. The cost of running local government, as well as households, has skyrock eted. Health insurance costs, pensions costs, fuel costs are up. Police and fire costs continue to go up. You would think a reduction in property tax relief is the last thing you would want," Dressel said.
One official pleasantly surprised by the aid figures is Frenchtown Mayor Ron Sworen. The Hunter don County borough plus Estell Manor in Atlantic County and Greenwich in Cumberland County are the only towns to receive aid increases.
The mayor said he has no idea why his town is receiving an additional $1,265.
"All of our budgets have been done, so that money will have to go into the capital fund," Sworen said. "It really will not affect this year's tax rate."
NO
NEED TO EVEN CONSIDER PUBLIC SAFETY CUTS IN EDISON DESPITE NEW STATE BUDGET
Town Has Numerous Other Possible Cuts
Edison, NJ - June 30, 2008 - While the new budget passed by the state legislature on Monday will result in state aid cuts to local municipalities, cutting essential public safety services in Edison such as fire and police shouldn’t even be considered as an option. The fact is that Edison, because of its surplus hasn’t received state aid since the 2006-07 budget ($700,000).
“It’s ridiculous to even talk about the possibility of considering cutting the already undermanned fire and police departments because of budget considerations while the township administration continues hiring armies of highly paid consultants and creating new bureaucratic fiefdoms under mayoral control,” said Robert Yackel, president of the Edison Fire Fighters Association.
Yackel cited the proposed Edison Redevelopment Commission which is scheduled to be voted on by the town council tonight (Wednesday) as a perfect example. The proposed budget is $500, 000 for a new agency that will handle a task which had been done by the town council for years. Under the current administration the township has added a full time publicist at over $65,000 per year, a director of constituent relations at $50,000 annually and a part time employee (Howard Dill) whose duties are unspecified in the public works department at $80,000 per year. There are also questions regarding skyrocketing legal bills and what’s happened to funds generated by the 35 percent property tax hike over the past three years. Edison has also raised fees for everything from dog licenses to speeding tickets. The town also receives reimbursements from insurance companies when fire-rescue handles a call.
“The mayor is talking about possibly cutting back a fire department that routinely operates below generally accepted manning standards. This policy of having only two firefighters manning a truck (the National Fire Protection Association minimum standard is 3 firefighters and an officer) endangers the lives of residents and firefighters. Meanwhile the mayor spends taxpayer money on his spin machine and other political appointments that have no impact on the town’s quality of life.”
EDISON FIREFIGHTERS DONATE 200 CLUB VALOR AWARDS CASH PROCEEDS TO NEW JERSEY FIREMAN'S HOME
 |
 |
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.
FIRE UNIONS CALL FOR ACTING CHIEF'S RESIGNATION
SENTINEL - December 5, 2007 - The two unions representing Edison's paid firefighters jointly released a statement Dec. 1 calling for the resignation of acting Fire Chief Norman Jensen. The unions represent all of the township's 140 paid firefighters.
The two unions, locals 1197 and 2883, said that Jensen's resignation is a matter of life and death and accused the acting chief of doing a poor job in overseeing the township's firefighters. Specifically, the complaints focused on management issues and ethics, calling Jensen incompetent.
President of Edison Local 1197, Robert Yackel, a retired firefighter currently employed by the state Department of Labor, listed several specific reasons why the acting chief, who has been in the position since May 2006, should step down. He cited changes in the dispatch protocol, elimination of the fire ground supervisor position, issues with the training of new firefighters, and what he perceived as Jensen being too close to the administration as reasons why he felt Jensen should step down.
Township spokesperson Jerry Barca defended Jensen, saying that the acting fire chief has instituted a number of positive reforms in the township that keep the residents safe, while saving money at the same time. He also said he thinks the firefighters of Edison do a great job in protecting the residents and emphasized that the conflict is with the union itself.
Yackel, talking about the changes to the dispatch protocol, said that emergency medical response has flagged since Jensen took over, claiming that first aid squads are contacted before trained emergency medical technicians (EMT) are, which he said wasted time.
"Now they try to get a first aid squad if they can, and just waste a lot of unnecessary time," said Yackel.
Barca disagreed that medical response time has suffered under Jensen, saying that there have been four new EMTs hired and more ambulances added to the fleet. Barca also said that Jensen implemented a first response program using the closest available fire apparatus to respond to medical emergencies.
"Chief Jensen has implemented a first responders program with the closest available fire apparatus to emergency medical calls such as heart attacks," said Barca.
Yackel also cited the elimination of fire ground supervisor positions around the Menlo Park Mall, JFK Medical Center, Roosevelt Hospital and near the train station as a reason the union was upset, saying that these people help coordinate emergency responses as the first people on the scene.
Barca said that is a false statement and that it hasn't happened.
Yackel also said that recalling additional firefighters has become more difficult since Jensen's tenure as acting chief began, saying that currently there is no system in place to recall off-duty firefighters. He said the department has recently implemented radio pagers for such a purpose, but that there have been significant technological hurdles in adopting them.
"We have no in-place system that works; they have a telephone pager, but they don't work, and the dispatcher sometimes calls the wrong people. And so they went to these radio pagers, but they're not in service, and it's been two years now since they were told to do it," Yackel said.
Barca said the radio pagers are still being programmed and that in the meantime, the telephone pagers currently used for calling additional firefighters still work. Yackel, though, said the telephone pagers are adequate.
The issue of training also came up, with the union saying that the training captain was abolished under Jensen, leading to inadequate training for new firefighters. Barca said the training captain is an assignment, not a position that can be abolished, and that all Edison firefighters, volunteer or paid, receive adequate training before they are allowed to work as firefighters.
The union president also said that issue had been taken with the acting chief 's management style, which he said was too close to the administration, and did not represent the firefighters. He noted that while the union had initially supported both Jensen and the current administration, as time has passed, they have needed to reconsider their stance.
"He obviously forgot what he learned from being here for 25 years. Now he does what the mayor tells him; the mayor is dangling the carrot. He's been acting chief for two years, and that's politics. You do as I say or you're not going to get appointed chief," said Yackel.
Barca said the union is simply fighting positive fiscal reform in Edison and noted that the township's firefighters are paid, on average, $85,000 a year.
"What you have here is a fire union that's used to getting everything they want, including one of the most generous contracts in the state of New Jersey. This fire department is being held accountable in a new era of fiscal responsibility, and Edison taxpayers should not be distracted by a fire union fighting positive reform," Barca said.
2 UNIONS WOULD BOOT FIRE CHIEF IN EDISON
HOME NEWS TRIBUNE - December 4, 2007 - The township firefighters' unions, locals 1197 and 2883, have jointly called for the resignation of acting Fire Chief Norman Jensen.
Robert Yackel, president of Edison Firefighters Local 1197, accused Jensen of "complete and total incompetence," citing concerns over a decrease in available personnel responding to major fires, among other issues.
Jensen could not be reached for comment Monday evening.
Yackel said the number of firefighters sent to calls at some of the township's larger buildings on ladder trucks has been lowered to two per truck. He said standard practice is to have six per truck in those situations.
Yackel also said that the recall procedure that brings off-duty firefighters back on duty when needed is not working and that the township relies on volunteer firefighters who Yackel claims are often called first. He said that puts lives and property at great risk.
Jerry Barca, township communications director, rebutted those claims, saying that procedures that bring in outside responders to fire calls and connects the department with county fire responders has increased safety and cut costs.
"There has been no reduction in the firefighter force at all," Barca said.
Yackel said that the posts of fire ground supervisors had been eliminated, but Barca said that isn't true.
Yackel said the firefighters were supposed to receive a new emergency-pager system, and pagers were supposed to be ordered in April. He claims they were not ordered until September and were delivered in October. They have yet to be put in service because they needed to be reconfigured, Barca said, but should be in the hands of firefighters by the end of the week.
Barca accused the union of being unwilling to change in the light of reforms that would lower the amount of overtime available to paid firefighters.
"This is a union that is used to getting anything they want, including one of the most generous contracts in the state," Barca said, "and now it's being held accountable."
Barca said the township invested more than $1.7 million in the Fire Department this year, with the purchase of new trucks and upgrades to the firehouses.
Yackel said in a release that the first few months of service for those trucks have been "less than stellar."
This is not the first time the unions have gone after Jensen. The union took a vote of "no confidence" in the acting chief in April, according to Yackel.
Yackel said relations between Jensen and the unions have been strained and that the measures put in place could put people at risk.
"We have no rapport with this guy at all," Yackel said."He knows better, and that's what's so disheartening."
He also said the situation has affected to morale of the firefighters, which he said he has never seen so low.
The two unions, one representing the township's 115 professional firefighters and the 25 professional fire officers, rarely agree.
"To get our two groups to agree on anything is hard," Yackel said. "That's how serious it is."
But Barca said the problems are limited to the unions.
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.
