Monday, September 22, 2008 6:02 AM EDT
By Abbe Smith, Register Staff
WEST HAVEN — The long-debated and controversial subject of fire district consolidation is back on the table in West Haven, and fire officials say, more than ever before, now is the time to explore the option.
Some point to the city and fire districts’ deepening financial woes as the impetus for the latest discussion of the age-old topic. Others say a spirit of cooperation exists now that wasn’t possible during previous attempts to address consolidation.
Whatever the reasons, the ball is rolling on multiple levels with official fire district meetings and informal taxpayer association discussions researching how the process would unfold.
Former Center District Chief William S. “Wiggy”” Johnson Jr. supports consolidation under the auspices of the city. He notes that in order to do that, the city charter must be revised to allow for the formation of a city-run fire department, and said the process will be a lengthy one. But Johnson believes it would be worth the wait.
“And it will save money in the long run, though not initially,” he said.
The charter revision process also will take time, as the commission formed to address it also just started meeting over the summer.
More important than saving money, Johnson believes consolidation will improve firefighter safety and services of members of the community. He also is confident that all of this can be done without the need for firefighter layoffs.
There are also legal considerations. Not only does the city have to change its charter if consolidation is to be achieved, but the state has its own statute-driven requirements that must be strictly adhered to.
And regarding the issue of the multimillion-dollar underfunded pension liability that each district carries, Johnson points out that it remains a liability under the district or within a consolidated department controlled by the city. And just look at how well the city handled the previously problematic police pension, he says.
“The police department fixed it through bonding and their pension fund has become pretty lucrative,” he said.
Johnson has made a presentation of his views and the complex process of consolidation for several groups, most recently the West Shore Taxpayers Association.
Center District Fire Chief James P. O’Brien agrees that the underfunded pension remains the biggest hurdle to consolidation. He believes in-depth research is needed for officials, firefighters and taxpayers to make an informed decision on whether consolidation is the best path for the city.
“I think we definitely have to look at all the facts. I would support doing that,” he said. “It’s probably the way we should go. But we need to look at what the impact would be on the service and the taxes.”
With the goal of formulating a plan, the city’s three fire chiefs, fire commission chairmen and union representatives have held a meeting and set aside tasks for each district to focus on. One district will look at legal issues, another at staffing and chain of command, and the third will address the looming pension problem. The next meeting of the fire officials will be 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Center District headquarters on Elm Street. The public may attend the meeting but is not allowed to comment. O’Brien stressed there will plenty of opportunity for comment at public hearings down the road.
O’Brien believes the current state of the fire districts and the city make now an ideal time to address consolidation.
“Out of all the times this has been addressed, this has been the best atmosphere,” he said, adding: “It’s an atmosphere of cooperation.”
Acting West Shore Fire Chief David Collins said he fully supports the idea of exploring consolidation and even went so far as to say there is a public outcry for it. He believes the financial concerns plaguing the city and fire district are driving the increased discussion of consolidation. But he cautions that the process must be carefully thought through before moving forward.
“If you show us a cohesive plan that benefits the safety of the firefighters and the public and if it saves money,” then it could work, he said.
West Shore Capt. Gary Bloomquist said times have changed and there are a lot of new firefighters on the job who are open to the idea. He said that openness is offset to some degree by firefighters who worry that consolidation will negatively impact their job security. Either way, it’s worth exploring. Bloomquist said the issue goes back longer than his years of service with the fire department.
“Nineteen years ago, they told me, ‘You’ll see it in your career.’ Now I’m saying it to the new guys,” he said.
Allingtown Fire Captain Marshall Sampietro, who has been in the business for 30 years, said if consolidation would make firefighters and the people they serve safer, then he’s all for it.
“It doesn’t matter what firehouse I’m in or what truck I’m on or who my boss is,” he said Friday. “I’m wholeheartedly in favor of it.”
Sampietro said he absolutely believes consolidation will save taxpayers money in the long term.
Mark Milano, president of the West Shore Taxpayers Association, said the proper way to address the issue of consolidation requires strong leadership from the fire districts and city. He said that kind of leadership has been lacking in the past.
He believes the eventual cost savings that consolidation will provide will benefit taxpayers greatly.
“You can avoid redundant services, redundant equipment and unnecessary personnel, such as having three full chiefs,” he said.
Savings also would come in the form of using the same human resource department as the city, the Building Oversight Committee, insurance services and more, he said.
O’Brien warned against supporting consolidation solely as a way to save money and added that laying off firefighters in the process is out of the question.
“If we cut manpower, we jeopardize the population and we jeopardize our firefighters,” he said.
The longterm savings from consolidation will come from no longer having an excess of services and equipment. And while O’Brien believes consolidation is possible if taxpayers want it, it is a way off — at least 3 to 5 years, he said.
“Is it doable? I believe absolutely, if we can check our egos and our politics at the door. The bottom line is, the decision is on the taxpayers.”
Abbe Smith can be reached at asmith@nhregister.com or 789-5615.