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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
 
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Fulop is the only politician it seems that actually has a clue. I just can't see how much longer he is gonna stick around trying to get Jersey City turned around. Just about a lost cause.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 17:09
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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Everyone knows how JC works. Fulop is correct. Friends of Friends and Family members of Family members of this long time machine are doing favors for each other. It's obvious, way obvious how the Chief got the job..maybe he is qualified, but he had the 'inside' track over any other possible candidate.
So, next time we have an election, DON"T re-elect the same guy. Here is how to reduce the payroll on the JCFD AFTER you show full evidence of the current structure and payroll of the JCFD....by the way, there is a public website that shows salaries. Scale down the JCFD. 25 percent volunteer. Reduce top level employees ..5 to 8 captains to a fire person. Increase service time required to 30 years before retirement, reduce benefit payout by 25-40 percent. Mandatory 3 percent investment into 403b/457b's to build up retirement savings of fire persons. Not going to be easy, but ya got to start somewhere. You are going to have to give packages to move the unnessary overpaid JCFD to 'early retirement'. Gonna cost something.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 16:55
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven\'t a clue
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Just can't stay away
 
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Oh dear. You need to go back to school, son. Firstly, I never said one person got $156,000 and the rest got $120,000, I said "there may well be one employee on $156,000 with the majority closer to the $120,000". One would think you'd have absorbed that seeing as you read my post and quoted it. I'd imagine the Fire Service has a hierarchy and that the pay reflects that. Maybe you know better, but I doubt it based on your post. Secondly, Fulop clearly states "an average salary between $120,000 and $156,000". A salary is defined as a fixed compensation periodically paid to a person for regular work or services. Salary does not include bonuses or overtime. Thirdly, a pay rise in the middle of the year, or at any other time, would result in the salary of that year being calculated as the initial salary plus the pay rise proportional to the time it was paid within that year. It most certainly would not make it "correct to talk in terms of average salaries". If you need to me to elucidate further I'll be only too happy to do so, perhaps in words of few syllables and a few pictures of Elmo to make it easy to understand. I stand my two points - "an average salary between $120,000 and $156,000" is not an average and all politicians, regardless of messianic fervor, should be examined under the same magnifying glass.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 16:24
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven\'t a clue
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Home away from home
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Given the nature of pay structures it is extremely unlikely that one person gets $156,000 and the rest all get $120,000. You are being at least as disingenuous as what you are accusing Fulop of. If pay is variable due to factors such as bonus, overtime then it would be correct to talk in terms of average incomes (and I admit I don't know if supervisors are entitied to either). If pay raises are not awarded equally at the same time of year (e.g are awarded on anniversary of service or some other interval), being just as pedantic as you are, then it would be correct to talk in terms of average salaries. Based on this I am not quite ready to cite Fulop for duplicity or incompetence and call for his resignation
Posted on: 2010/6/2 15:02
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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This is classic JC politics which has virtually gone by unoticed and unchecked for years and years and years. These old school JC politicos wish we would remain ingnorant and complacent but that's changing. The horizon is not looking good for thier corrupt ways. Perhaps that is why they let our educational system slip so far down the ladder. Hmmm........
"So the fire chief is the brother of the business administrator who is the son of a former councilwoman and the business administrator commutes 150 miles a day in a city owned car with free gas and insurance."
Posted on: 2010/6/2 14:21
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven\'t a clue
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Just can't stay away
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That's not an average, that's a range. An average is a single value that is meant to typify a list of values, not two values representing the lowest and highest values. Given the nature of pay structures, there may well be one employee on $156,000 with the majority closer to the $120,000 mark, but here the highest number is presented in equal measure. You may think I'm a pedant but this sort of thing is typical of politicians skewing facts to suit their arguments. Otherwise it's an honest mistake, in which case I'd question Fulop's capability. I'll take Fulop over Healy in a heartbeat, but at the end of the day he's still a politician.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 14:16
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Why not run for council if it sucks so bad? Maybe you can make a change for the better.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 13:13
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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Jersey City Business Administrator Brian O'Reilly confirmed today he's leaving employment with the city by April. O'Reilly, a city employee for nearly 25 years, said he's exploring a position within 10 miles of his home in Howell. But whether or not he lands that job, he's leaving. "I commute 150 miles a day," he said. "It gets old." The $154,000-a-year business administrator said his imminent departure is "no secret." Most department directors in the city report to the business administrator and the person in that post is principally responsible for preparing a city budget. O'Reilly, 47, is the son of former Ward A Councilwoman Bernadette O'Reilly. He served as the city's chief tax assessor and formerly directed the city's real estate office. Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy appointed him business administrator in 2004. So the fire chief is the brother of the business administrator who is the son of a former councilwoman and the business administrator commutes 150 miles a day in a city owned car with free gas and insurance.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 13:07
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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Do you know anything about the JC political machine mrasg1? It's as corrupt as it gets and it shold make us all boil over with frustration. It's such a shame that this city has to be hog tied by so much under the table dealings. It's no wonder that more and more people are getting out to show thier distaste for such egotistical, unmoralistic shinanigans.
So, I do like the fact that more and more of the educated JC tax payers are showing up to fight this sytem. One doesn't have to look to far to find a smart activist who has the best interests of JC at heart. I also like many of the neighborhood and activist groups that have sprung up to make JC into a great place. Bike JC is one such group. More and more small business owners are throwing thier hat into the ring to better this place as well. Other than that this city is still in its infancy in my opinion and we all know we can't just abandon a baby. I could go on and one about the dumb-headed, w/o forsight real estate and building choices this city council approves, the crime issues, trash problems, education, high tax rate, sewers that are dismall......but we all know this is a work in progress and until we oust these "Old JC" incumbants with massive amount of political leverage nothing will change.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 13:02
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Since you guys don't like anything about the local govt etc, will all will be fabulous with Fulop as Mayor? Have any of you thought about running for council?
Posted on: 2010/6/2 12:44
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Peel back this JC onion one little bit rearding the fire chief and his brother and the truth will simply burn ones eyes. Too much to list. The chief's brother is a real class act. Can't wait until this blatant cronism is nipped in the bud.
How does Healy sleep at night? The fleecing of JC in plain view.......... http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... s_administr.html#comments
Posted on: 2010/6/2 12:39
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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FULOP WILL BE THE NEXT MAYOR!!!!! 156K for a Fireman is ridiculous!
Posted on: 2010/6/2 12:21
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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One could easily insert Jersey City into this quote I found regarding the Boston Fire Dep.
"The pension plans for _______ state and municipal workers are specifically designed to allow politicians to repay favors by getting donors' idiot nephews on the payroll and then on the pension rolls as quickly as possible, because there is a high turnover on idiot nephews in _______. Clever unconnected state and muni workers can also game the system. They are virtually impossible to fire, and their unions own each and every legislator in the statehouse. In fact, the only way you can lose a seat in the ___________ legislature is to piss off the teachers' union, the state and municipal employees' union, police or fire unions, etc." Astounding what you can get away with with when you have political influence and O'Rielly has great big fire trucks full of it. The complacent residents, of which JC has plenty of, might not see the blatent disregard for the tax payers dollars but more and more of JC's voting public are waking up. I think the educated and upwardly mobile newcomers to this city will eventually bring this city up to its great potential. Until then, it's "business as usual" - Just the way Healy and the Fire Cheif wants it.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 11:57
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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Thanks Steve, well stated - you've got my vote should you toss your hat into the mayoral race.
Most local governments are probably corrupt but clandestine about it. Hudson County (and particularly JC) is corrupt and right in your face. Gotta love it.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 11:31
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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Fulop Letter: Chief presents a false choice
By The Jersey Journal June 02, 2010, 6:00AM Chief O'Reilly does a terrific job in the Jersey City Fire Department, and I have a great deal of respect for him. I appreciate that his position as fire chief means that he needs to advocate for the best positions for his people. As the leader of his department, the more money and more rank for the people in his department the better. However, the Mayor and Council's role should be to balance safety with the best possible use of taxpayer dollars. With all due respect and in response to Chief O'Reilly, the data and the facts speak for themselves. In the Jersey City Fire Department, an astronomical one-third of the Fire Department are supervisors with an average salary between $120,000 and $156,000 for each person. It is an absolute "false choice" to present to the taxpayers that if the city does not make promotions and spend more tax dollars for supervisors then the residents will not be safe. I am very accessible and happy to have a dialog. However, I maintain that these promotions were not about safety, they were about cronyism. The Fire Department budget has increased every single year at an alarming pace, and it is time the council and mayor explore an honest restructuring to better use our resources and maintain safety. COUNCILMAN STEVEN FULOP JERSEY CITY
Posted on: 2010/6/2 11:13
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
Joined:
2007/10/20 17:38 Last Login : 2012/7/18 2:23 From Not in JC anymore
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Yes and according to the National Volunteer Fire Council, 73% of the firefighters nationwide are volunteers. It's not a one size fits all answer. The majority of this state is not a densely populated city.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 3:00
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- Never argue with an idiot. They bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
Joined:
2007/10/20 17:38 Last Login : 2012/7/18 2:23 From Not in JC anymore
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Yvonne 1) Secaucus has a population of about 16000. They require one engine and staff 5. I'm happy that Secaucus can afford to purchase, operate, and maintain 5 engines, 1 truck, and 1 rescue. What you fail to realize is that when additional alarms are added to a fire, the East Rutherford, Rutherford, and Carlstadt fire departments respond under what I assume is a mutual aid agreement. JCFD does not normally need to call upon the other cities for assistance because there are enough resources in the city. 2) Do you mean to privatize or give the contracts to the other cities? Read my previous post on contracting to other cities. You are just staffing the same stations with another city's fire fighters. With the same number of FF's and overhead necessary, the cost will just go into the contract which will be passed on to the JC taxpayer. It is NOT a cost savings. And by the way, Union City does not have it's own FD. 3) There are 15 fire stations spread across the city. Just how are these stations far away from the fires. I am within walking distance of 3 fire stations. Do you have the actual response times that show that it is taking the FD too long to get to a fire? Where is this congested traffic slowing the response time. Please provide some facts to base your arguments on. 4) Volunteers will not just sit in a fire house and wait for a call. That is not how a VFD works (unless it is the weekend). Volunteers get a tone from dispatch and someone still has to get to the fire house to get the engine. They will get stuck in your supposed traffic just getting to the fire house. How is this better than a paid staff available 24-7? Also, volunteers have to leave their day jobs to go fight the fire. How many businesses in JC can afford to have their employees leave for a fire or other incident? Also, you just can't have anyone become a fire fighter. There is required training and standards to meet and this costs money. Where will your so called VFD get the money to safely and effectively purchase, operate, and maintain vehicles on top of paying for training and personal protective gear, communications equipment, as well as insurance. Yes VFD's need to have insurance to operate. It takes at least $500K to have an effective VFD of 3 engines and 1 truck. Where will you get the money to maintain the VFD? Lastly to have a VFD you need to have a volunteer base. I'm sorry but I don't see your typical JC resident volunteering for this type of work. 5) Sprinklers within a building do not remove the need for having a fire company respond. If there are enough BTU's being released by a fire, a sprinkler will not put that fire out. Also, go to the front of a building and look at the FD connection. That's to supply water to all those fire hoses in the building. Take away the engines, and your high rise will burn down. 6) You fail to understand the a FD does not just respond to building fires - they also respond to MVA's, medical calls, HAZMAT incidents, etc. As a city expands, it's ability to respond to emergencies needs to expand, not downsize. And by the way, to be safe an effective, an engine needs to run with 4-6 firefighters. Yvonne, just what is your background and experience with fire departments and firefighting?
Posted on: 2010/6/2 2:41
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- Never argue with an idiot. They bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Just can't stay away
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Civil Service run's testing for promotional exams. Chief O'Rielly scored a perfect score on his exam. He was number 1 on the list.. Now it all makes sense!
Posted on: 2010/6/2 2:30
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Just can't stay away
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So you?re telling me that the volunteers will get to fires quicker than paid firefighters. Volunteers have to leave there home or job and respond to the firehouse. How do they get to the firehouse? Helicopters? If not they will be traveling at ?5 mph? to get to the firehouse. Your argument is just outrageous and not even worth a dialogue. What they should do is turn one firehouse into a museum and educational center. So concerned citizens like yourself can go and see how the fire department operates.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 2:27
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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Nepotism run amok. What are they doing over aside from fleecing the city.
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... lly_will_leave_his_j.html
Posted on: 2010/6/2 2:11
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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Now it all makes sense.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 1:47
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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The people who are quoting from the article was not present at the council meeting. First I said, "We should privatize the service and give contracts to Hoboken, Union City and Bayonne. Then I said, the empty fire houses should be staffed with volunteers. Presently, our fire department are far away from a fire. Due to congested traffic, they are moving around 5 miles per hour. How does that benefit the public? The public is better off staffing the empty fire stations with volunteers than waiting for a fire truck traveling at 5 mph. The majority of this state is staffed with volunteers including Secaucus which has high rises. As more buildings go up, the city code requires sprinklers requiring a less need for firestaff. We cannot afford paying these outrageous salaries with these golden parachutes at retirement.
By the way, our city has many empty fire houses. Some are being sold at autions.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 1:37
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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?We cannot afford these games,? Balcer shouted. ?We?re not saving money; down the road it?s gonna cost us.? Balcer also suggested that Jersey City might benefit from switching to a volunteer fire department or contracting fire services out to neighboring towns such as Hoboken, Bayonne and Union City. A volunteer fire department does not make any sense. Balcer probably doesn't realize that you still need to raise money to purchase and maintain equipment as well as pay for training for firefighters. I also wouldn't be amazed if response times increased if we went to a volunteer department. And do we really need the additional blue lighters zipping around on the way to incidents. That's just asking for additional incidents. Contracting our services to another city - that just doesn't make sense either. The same number of stations will probably be maintained so the same number of firefighters and overhead will be necessary. According to the NFPA, 1 engine is necessary for a population of about 15,000-20,000. JC needs between 12 and 16 engines according to this and currently operates 15 engines (16 if you include Squad 4). Hoboken requires 2-3 engines and operates 3; Bayonne requires 3-4 engines and operates 4 (5 if you include Squad 5); Union City is covered by North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue which covers a population of roughly 195,000 people requiring 10-13 engines and operates 9 engines and 3 squads. They have also been closing down fire stations on a rotational basis due to budgetary constraints. As these FD's are at capacity, basically these FD's would just take over the JCFD stations and the cost of the contract (operating an entire department) would just pass down to the JC taxpayer. We would still require 4 battalion chiefs per shift for a total of 12, and I wouldn't be amazed if a division chief would be necessary above these battalion chiefs just to maintain span of control. There would be no cost savings. I'd like to see a consolidated Hudson County FD, but I don't know if it i financially feasible just based on the above.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 1:18
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- Never argue with an idiot. They bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Just can't stay away
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Funny but the title of Fulops OpEd was "ending the politics of patronege" No one mentioned how Chief O'Rielly got his job in the first place,he is the brother of Brian O'rielly,city BA and HCDO hack for life.
Posted on: 2010/6/2 1:17
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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Balcer also suggested that Jersey City might benefit from switching to a volunteer fire department or contracting fire services out to neighboring towns such as Hoboken, Bayonne and Union City. 
Posted on: 2010/6/1 23:12
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Just can't stay away
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Downtown resident and council gadfly Yvonne Balcer chided the administration for the promotions during the public hearing portion of the meeting. In her remarks, Balcer claimed that the promotions were a way for the administration to ?pad the payroll.? Quote: ?We cannot afford these games,? Balcer shouted. ?We?re not saving money; down the road it?s gonna cost us.? Balcer also suggested that Jersey City might benefit from switching to a volunteer fire department or contracting fire services out to neighboring towns such as Hoboken, Bayonne and Union City. Speechless
Posted on: 2010/6/1 21:00
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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He questioned the status-quo. In these parts, that evokes wrath.
Posted on: 2010/6/1 20:47
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Quite a regular
 
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Posted on: 2010/6/1 20:46
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
Joined:
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http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... _fulop_calls_for_res.html
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... ghts-commission-and-more/
Posted on: 2010/6/1 20:44
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Re: Letter from fire chief: Mr. Fulop, you haven't a clue
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Home away from home
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GrovePath (or anyone else for that matter) -- Does anyone have a link to what Mr. Fulop said/wrote to evoke the wrath of the JCFD Chief?
Posted on: 2010/6/1 20:35
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