Takes issue with outgoing fire commissioner's words

This letter is in response to the comments made by outgoing Old Bridge Fire District 2 Commission President Robert Weiss in the Feb. 22 Suburban article titled "New Commissioners Take Seats Amid Board Disputes."

As a member of the Foundation for Open Government and as a volunteer instructor for Common Cause NJ, I am very familiar with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). Based on my knowledge of OPMA, I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Weiss' opinion that the fire commission has been in total compliance with OPMA, vis-a-vis executive meetings.

As to Mr. Weiss' comment, "For the last several years, there is what I perceive to be a hostile environment between the leadership of the volunteer fire company and the board of fire commissioners," I would ask what Mr. Weiss did, as commission president, to rectify the situation.

The Suburban reported that "Weiss said the career firefighters, who are paid, provide the larger portion of fire protection in District 2." The truth of the matter is that there are seven paid firefighters in District 2. They are on staggered shifts covering the period Monday-Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (i.e., 55 hours per week). Volunteers are on duty 24/7 (i.e., 168 hours per week). Not only are the volunteers solely responsible for coverage early mornings, evenings, nights and all day on weekends, they also go out to calls during the weekday shift. Simple math shows that volunteer firefighters provide the majority of fire protection coverage in District 2, Cheesequake.

Mr. Weiss made his comments to the newspaper while a fire commissioner; however, he is not a novice in talking to the press. Weiss, as a lieutenant with the Old Bridge Police Department, dealt with the press for the department up until the time of his appointment to police captain in January 2007.

Linda Seiler

fire commissioner-elect

Old Bridge Fire District