NP firefighter costs, overtime are result of mayor's actions
I am a fire fighter as well as a taxpayer, and would like the opportunity to refute some of the points made by Arlene Violet in her article "Good mayor, bad mayor."
The first involves the following quote about the closing of a fire house.
"The mayor (North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi) won a court case which rebutted the firefighter union's contention that the closing of one of the stations was a safety hazard. That didn't deter them from carrying signs about this 'dangerous public safety' issue. Never let the truth get in the way of propaganda".
With that in mind, let's dissect this issue with the scalpel of truth.
Fact #1 - The mayor simply closed a station and put a truck out of service - there were no personnel savings, as fire fighters from that truck were moved to other trucks in the city.
Fact #2 - The mayor cannot sell this building due to the manner in which it originally obtained. It will always have to be a town building.
Fact #3 - Because of the previous two facts, the only real cost savings to the taxpayers are the fuel costs for the truck - which will be passed along to the other trucks in the city with their increased call volumes - and the utility costs for the building.
Fact #4 - The residents of the neighborhood will now have to wait an additional time - no matter how little time - for a first-due arriving fire engine. I don't think that anyone would disagree that in the case of a fire - sooner is better.
Fact #5 - Because, in part, of the previous fact, the town's ISO rating will most certainly go down, causing an increase in homeowner's insurance, which I can only guess, will offset the cost savings for fact #3.
What all the above boils down to is: with nearly zero cost savings for the taxpayers, they will have to wait more time for a fire truck. But, the truth of the matter here is that a judge, who of course, we all know are experts on public safety, ruled that there would be no safety hazard. Propaganda is defined as "information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc." With this in mind, the question that begs to be asked is: Who is spreading the real propaganda?
The next and possibly most disconcerting statement was that of fire fighters appearing as "money grubbers." As Mayor Lombardi pointed out, the 23 top earners have earned $2.1 million collectively. However, the key to understanding that fact lies in the word "earners." What is conveniently left out is that the reason for such high earnings was the amount of hours those "Earners" worked in one work week. Yes, they were in fact, in the form of overtime hours, but those members indisputably worked those hours. When most residents and taxpayers ended their 40-hour work weeks and went home to their families, had barbecues, weddings, birthday parties, and other family gatherings, those "earners" were at work "earning" their paychecks on nights, weekends, Thanksgivings, Christmases, New Year's, Memorial Day's, etc; in extreme weather conditions at all hours of the day and night. Is this by choice? - Absolutely, but the point is that they still earned that money. The other omitted fact is that the mayor has created almost all of this overtime cost by not hiring the correct (contractual) amount of personnel (that was deemed safe for all involved). So just so I understand: He doesn't hire the necessary amount of people; he then pays other people more money to fill in, but then blames the people who worked those hours for making that money? Sounds a bit like propaganda to me. How much, by the way, does Mr. Lombardi contribute toward his health insurance?
I am also curious as to how much of his retirement benefits from being a fire fighter that (Mayor Joseph) Polisena will be giving up to help out the taxpayers in Johnston. I mean, good leaders lead by example - isn't that what we've always been told? Does he really have their backs, or only as much as it suits him?
Incidentally, I'm still trying to figure out Ms. Violet's use of the word "Carpetbaggers," as it applied to the peaceful picket line set up last month by North Providence Fire Fighters. Since all definitions of the word carpetbagger infer some opportunistic profit or gain by outsiders, its use in this case doesn't apply, unless she, herself is trying to spread some type of propaganda.
Next, it would seem that the catch phrase most popular with politicians nowadays; as echoed by Ms. Violet, is that of "having the taxpayers' backs." What is troubling about this statement is that taxpayers often believe this statement absolutely, entirely, and blindly when it comes to municipal employees.
Earlier this month interestingly brought the arrest of almost half of the North Providence Town Council, on federal extortion and bribery charges. This came only days after two of whom, Ms. Violet gave "kudos" to and said "had guts" to attend Mr. Lombardi's fund-raiser. Tell me Ms. Violet; to what extent did those guys have our backs?
As for Ms. Violet's reference to the word hero, let me say this. The only people I wish to be a hero to are my wife and children. Not because I am a fire fighter, but because in doing so, I provide a roof over their heads, food on the table, medical care, modest family vacations, and for their education. I put in an honest week's work, and feel I deserve an honest week's pay. I'm not sure what about that makes me a money grubber, but I digress.
William Conroy
Conroy is a captain in the Pawtucket Fire Department and is vice president, Local 4421 I.A.F.F.
