Letter: Did Councilman Trade Residents' Safety Because Meetings Won't Be On TV?

To the editor:

I have been a member of the Wyckoff Volunteer Fire Department for 30 years and a former deputy chief of Sicomac Engine Company No. 3. My father, Bruce, was a Company No. 3 member before me.

As volunteer firefighters, we take immense pride in what we do. We spend hours training and preparing to answer the call when our residents need us. The Township Committee has always supported our efforts and provided the financial and technical support to enable us to do our jobs to the best of our ability. A recent example is the addition of a new fire engine that was delivered to Company No. 3 to replace an old and outdated 33-year-old piece of equipment. We appreciate their support.

That is why I was surprised and disappointed to find out that the 2017 town budget was passed by a 4 - 1 vote. Committeeman Brian Scanlan did not vote to support the budget because it did not contain $30,000 to broadcast town meetings on television. The budget for the entire Wyckoff Volunteer Fire Department is part of the municipal budget, so does this mean that Mr. Scanlan would jeopardize the firefighting budget, and thereby safety, of Wyckoff for the sake of televising meetings?

I certainly hope that is not the case.

Sincerely,

Bruce Peters,
Wyckoff, NJ