Trial is delayed on fire merger lawsuit

By Stephen P. Clark, Staff Writer
04/21/2008 01:00:00 AM EDT

Trial is delayed on fire merger lawsuit - Topix

STAMFORD - Turn of River Fire Department's case against the city has been pushed back to May 19 to give both sides more time to work out their differences.

The trial was set to begin last week, but a state judge granted Turn of River attorney Mark Kovack's request for a delay to allow mediation to continue.

The city has been trying to merge the paid and volunteer fire departments since last year to save money. But Turn of River fire officials filed a lawsuit to block the merger.

Malloy administration officials are close to consummating the consolidation. Elected boards recently approved an arrangement that brought all paid firefighters under a single labor contract, providing 34 employees working for Turn of River and those formerly employed by Belltown and Glenbrook fire departments two and half years of retroactive wage increases and making them employees of Stamford Fire & Rescue.

Turn of River fire officials unsuccessfully tried to get the Board of Representatives to delay the vote until the court case was resolved.

The new labor contract led to a broader mediation than mandated by the court, City Attorney Thomas Cassone said.

If the city and Turn of River reach an agreement in mediation, the trial would be suspended and the fire department would receive $288,000 that Mayor Dannel Malloy set aside in his budget for next fiscal year. If no resolution is reached, the department would get $40,000 for fuel costs.

Belltown fire officials filed a lawsuit last week after Malloy allocated them $20,000 - a 90 percent cut. Belltown fire department became an all-volunteer force in January after refusing to accept the city's consolidation plan. If the funding is not restored, the department will not survive, Belltown fire officials have said.

In his spending plan, Malloy allocated $164,000 to Glenbrook Fire Department, which agreed to the consolidation plan after losing its court battle.

The two other volunteer departments, Long Ridge and Springdale, have dodged the yearlong controversy because they have different agreements with the city.