ORANGE - Attorney Kevin McGovern and firefighter Elvin Padilla decried furloughs and short staffing March 2 before the City of Orange Township Council and administrators.
McGovern, representing the Orange Municipal Employee Bargaining Association, charged that the city could have used $200,000 in intended 2009 salary raises to meet the current budget gap, and eliminate eight of the 12 furloughs scheduled from Feb. 19 to June 30.
Padilla brought eight of the nine firefighters who responded to the Feb. 27 Oakwood Avenue fire up to the podium. He acknowledged his colleagues' performance and stated that the city needs four more firefighters to efficiently battle future fires.
The council conference and regular meeting lasted nearly six hours and Council President Edward Marable, Jr. of the South Ward adjourned the back-to-back sessions by 12:40 a.m.
The council members faced an agenda that included four ordinances for a scheduled second reading, public hearing and final vote. There were an additional 23 resolutions, including five late additions and a temporary monthly emergency appropriation on the interim 2009-10 municipal budget, up for consideration.
West Ward Councilman Hassan Abdul-Rasheed, who voted to continue the meeting at 10:30 p.m., excused himself after midnight. At-Large Councilman and panel Vice President Elroy Corbett was absent throughout - as was Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr.
McGovern stated that morale among unionized employees is low because of the city's rejection of substituting eight furlough days with $200,000 of 2009's intended pay raise funds that the association offered.
"This would have been more than a wash," said McGovern. "By resorting to furloughs, the city is taking a roll of the dice and the savings is not looking well."
McGovern stated that during the first two furlough days on Feb. 19 and 26, some supervisors thought employees still had to report for attendance on Feb. 19 and ended up getting paid for that day. On Feb. 26, Department of Public Works staffers were called to clear and salt city streets during the snowstorm which lasted until Feb. 27.
"The city is hoping for days where there are no emergencies, or when their employees aren't needed," McGovern said.
The attorney said he thought he had an agreement with Business Administrator John F. Mason and six other union heads at a City Hall meeting Jan. 11. OMEBA's rank and file, he added, voted for the proposal's approval on Jan. 13.
"Then I get a letter from the city stating that notwithstanding the meeting and vote, there was no agreement," said McGovern. "The employees feel betrayed that they offered an olive branch that was taken out of their hand and demoralized. That is why there have been no labor contract negotiations with the city since."
But Mason said the $200,000 in salary raises was not concrete.
"The money could've been consumed by other bargaining units' other requests or demands - which could've been settled had negotiations have continued," Mason said. "Furloughs were the last resort, one of all options that we have considered to close the budget gap."
FMBA local president Padilla talked about the actions of the Marty DeMarzo Memorial Fire Headquarters crew took after receiving the first call about the Oakwood Avenue fire Feb. 27.
A round of applause ensued when Padilla summoned the eight officers and thanked Essex County's departments for mutual aid at the scene and station coverage until the fire was brought under control.
Padilla added that eight of the seven houses on the 200 block were gutted or damaged by the fire leaving 39 people, including nine children, homeless. Four dogs died in the blaze.
"We also had heard that an elderly resident was still inside," Padilla said. "Given the choice between allocating two firefighters to fight the fire or search for that person, we always go for searching."
Two firefighters had to confront a dog at one residence's door, delaying their entry. Another pair had to work around a ladder truck ladder breakdown at the scene, which interfered with the shared roof's venting.
"We're fortunate that the fire broke out at 1 p.m., instead of 1 a.m., when there would be more residents inside," Padilla said.
City Planning Director Valerie Jackson added that inspectors later condemned 203 Oakwood Ave. and the police department provided a 24-hour fire scene watch between Central Avenue and Russ Monica Court. In one resolution the council approved an appropriation to demolish the building.
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