Selectmen heed firemen's concerns about proposed commission ordinance

By Scott Benjamin

BROOKFIELD -- There were a lot of parking spaces occupied for an August Monday night in the front lot at the Municipal Center.

Isn't this the time of year when families are at the Cape or Newport, or if they're home they're playing badminton in the back yard?

There were some fire and emergency medical service vehicles.

The members from the Candlewood and Headquarters Fire Companies and some of the EMS staff wanted to tell the Board of Selectmen to delay action on a proposed ordinance that would impact them.

They took up a majority of the seats in room 133 where the selectmen held a public hearing on the proposal before their regular meeting.

Those who spoke, asked the selectmen to pause for at least 90 days before voting on the Fire/EMS Commission Ordinance that had been developed over months by an ad-hoc committee which included Selectman Bob Belden.

Belden had presented a report on the proposed ordinance to the board at its July 7 meeting.

In an interview following his nomination for another term at the Democratic Party caucus on July 16, First Selectman Steve Dunn said the proposed commission would consist of a representative from each of the two fire companies - Candlewood and Headquarters - and three additional members.

Dunn explained that the Fire Commission would be “an advocate” for the fire companies. “It would not tell them what to do, but would help with their policies."

During the public hearing, Derek Broadmeyer, the chief of Headquarters Co., said, "We have not had enough time" to review the ordinance.

He emphasized that the company was "not opposed" to the proposal.

Broadmeyer said that he and his members wanted to review the provisions, including the "possible financial" implications.

Candlewood Company Chief Gary Gramling, who joined the department in 1973, said he would request 90 days to review the proposal.

Bill Doyle, an assistant chief at Headquarters, offered his thanks to the ad-hoc committee.

He added that fire companies face bigger challenges, noting that state Comptroller Sean Scanlon (D-Guilford) has distributed a study indicating that the number of volunteer firemen in Connecticut has decreased by 60 percent over the last eight years,

Doyle explained that the Brookfield companies sometimes have to provide aid to neighboring towns that now have fewer firemen.

Karl Hinger, who was nominated at the Republican caucus for first selectman, said that he and his running mate, Alan Donnelly, are 'adamantly opposed" to the proposed ordinance.

He said it creates "another layer of bureaucracy" and could result in "double taxation." Hinger said if the ordinance is enacted and he and Donnelly win the November 4 election, they would vote to repeal it.

In an interview in June with Patch.com, Broadmeyer said that the fire companies get “a great budget from the town of Brookfield. They’ve always been wonderful to us. The Board of Finance, the Board of Selectmen have always been available to meet with us.”

He said that Headquarters pays for one-third of each fire truck The municipal budget funds the other two-thirds. Broadmeyer added that the municipal government pays for all of the costs associated with the ambulances and large share of the annual operating costs of the fire companies.

During the selectmen's meeting, Dunn, Belden and Selectman Tara Carr voted unanimously to table action on the proposed ordinance.

Belden said the speakers offered "amazing comments."

Dunn said that the proposal should be written to "meet the needs of everyone."

He said he hoped the ad-hoc committee would reconvene, get further input and then submit a revised ordinance to the selectmen.

There was no specific deadline set on accomplishing that.