By Braden Campbell
The Press of Atlantic City
DENNIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Hundreds of Ocean View volunteer firefighter supporters packed a fire commissioners meeting, pushing township hall far past capacity and delaying a vote to authorize spending $200,000 to buy new equipment.
The Ocean View department staged a public awareness blitz in the weeks preceding the planned Wednesday vote, which they said was a ploy by the Fire District 1 commissioners to replace them with another company because of a contract dispute.
Fire Lt. Wayne Matthews said he was glad to see the show of support.
“It has been a lot of rough times (in negotiations), and to see all those people come out and show their support was huge,” Matthews said.
The Board of Fire Commissioners and the Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department have been at odds since April, when the commissioners presented the company with a new contract giving themselves greater control and oversight. It also gave the board the ability to discipline firefighters.
The board proposed the contract after what Chairman Bryan Moran said were complaints by the public about the department’s responsiveness and actions on the job. He also said the department has been vague in reporting how it has used taxpayer dollars.
The department rejected the contract, saying it never has wavered in its service to the community and the deal would threaten its ability to operate independently.
They further allege the contract represents a personal attack on the department by the board of commissioners, some of whom are former Ocean View members.
The board made a series of concessions in three new contract proposals over the last several months, but the sides have been unable to come to an agreement. The Ocean View department has operated under its old contract on a month-to-month basis since April. Either side can back out at any time, Moran said.
The board moved to use the $200,000 in capital funds for new equipment as a backup plan in the event the department voids the contract. Commissioners said if the department refused to turn over its equipment, which was purchased using taxpayer funds given by the commissioners, it would effectively hamstring emergency response in Ocean View, South Seaview and Clermont.
Moran said the board is simply taking the measure to keep its options open.
“We are still in negotiations with Ocean View, but after two months of not hearing (since the last contract talks), we do have to start looking in other areas,” Moran said.
The Ocean View department, on the other hand, believes if the spending authorization were to pass, it would lead to its immediate dismissal and replacement.
Twenty-four members of the public recently came before the board to request that they be recognized as a new fire company in the district, which the board granted. Most are fire district residents, and some are current or former members of other departments in the area, Moran said.
Members of the Ocean View department believe the new company was organized by the board as a replacement. The board contends they volunteered due to fears the dispute would threaten service.
Moran said the company, known as Station 17, does not have a facility or equipment but could be contracted if discussions with Ocean View fell apart.
The leadership of the Ocean View department used social media postings and sent a letter to all fire district residents Nov. 6 urging them to come out to Wednesday’s vote. The letter outlined the department’s gripes with the fire commissioners and alleged, among other things, that an affirmative vote would lead to a dramatic tax increase.
Moran said the board plans to send a similar letter to residents next week detailing its side of the conflict.
The board of fire commissioners plans to hold a question-and-answer session on the vote at a larger venue in the coming weeks, to allow all fire district voters to hear both sides of the debate. A date for a vote will be scheduled after that session. Both are to be determined but will be announced in advance, Moran said.
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