The Jersey Journal
HOBOKEN, N.J. — Fire officials said they have received word that a total of 10 battalion chiefs and captains are being laid off.
These superior officers are likely to be rehired since under Civil Service rules they have bumping rights, but will be returned to positions that pay significantly less, officials said.
The decision to lay off these fire officials was made by the city’s state-appointed fiscal monitor Judy Tripodi, who as part of an overall effort to trim the city’s budget submitted a plan to the state Department of Personnel two weeks ago that she said would affect less than 10 percent of the municipal workforce, officials said.
The notices were sent out Friday, said Hoboken Fire Department Acting Chief Richard Blohm, who said he learned about the layoffs Friday in a meeting with Tripodi.
“Nobody asked for my input in advance on how to handle day-to-day operations,” Blohm said yesterday.
Blomn said he might have to close down a seventh company that he only recently established with a federal grant because he does not have enough captains to supervise the company. “To say we don’t need the new company is ridiculous,” he added.
Six fire captains, four battalion chiefs and two civilian clerks received the layoff notices, which will take effect by the middle of next month, officials said.
Tripodi could not be reached to comment yesterday. Her layoff plan submitted to the state called for “a reduction in force of uniformed and non-uniformed personnel and demotions in public safety.”
The budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30 is $123.8 million and Tripodi is trying to lower it further.
Corporation Counsel Steven Kleinman said yesterday no rank and file firefighters will lose their jobs since there is enough room to absorb the superior officers without additional layoffs.
Kleinman said both fire supervisors and rank and file were advised in January the demotions might be necessary.
“It cannot come as any surprise that the state fiscal monitor and the city were going to take action,” he said.
Hoboken Mayor David Roberts said that he preferred not to go down that route and wanted to look for an alternative way of saving money.
“I find it very risky laying off police and firefighters and much rather derive cost savings by other means and methods, for example negotiations with union, and that is what I am pursuing over the next couple of weeks,” Roberts said.
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