East Franklin Fire Department Wins 60-Day Reprieve From Shutdown

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The Franklin Fire District 3 Board of Commissioners on June 11 granted a 60-day reprieve to the East Franklin Volunteer Fire Department to allow time for the two groups to compromise on a contract that EFVFD command has refused to sign, and which refusal threatens to shut down the 65-plus member fire department.

The fire company was looking at a June 30 deadline to sign the contract, which expired on March 30, or face the removal of all apparatus and gear and a shutdown of the department. Such a move would affect fire service for about 30,000 township residents in the department’s roughly 5-square-mile service area.

The agreement was not without its drama, however. An altercation between two Commissioners – Ken Reid Sr., the Commission’s vice chairman, and Patricia Ferretti, the Commission’s treasurer – occurred during an executive session when the contract was being discussed.

Franklin police were called, but there was no further action taken, and the Commission resumed its deliberations.

Leading up to that, speaker after speaker, for more than an hour, rose to support EFVFD in its contract dispute. There was no speaker supporting the Commission’s stance. More than 150 people showed up, crowding into the small meeting room and waiting outside in the parking lot of the District’s headquarters on Shevchenko Avenue.

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EFVFD Chief Dan Krushinski had originally asked for a 90-day extension of the contract, which had already been extended 90 days to June 30.

Krushinski’s request was followed by a motion from Ferretti to do just that.

“Why don’t you people go into the bay and discuss it, and we’ll wait here for your answer,” Krushinski told the Commissioners. There was no second on the motion, however.

Public comment then resumed until the Commissioners decided to move into executive session to discuss the disputed contract.

After the vote granting the 60-day extension, Krushinski said he was satisfied with the result.

“So between now and then , we’re hoping to sit down with the commissioners, either the current ones or the new ones, there may be some replacement players coming in apparently, sit down with them and maybe come up with a contract that works for everybody,” he said.

“But East Franklin’s not going anywhere, and I thank the public, and the support from all the surrounding towns and fire departments that came out to support us tonight,” Krushinski said.

The Chief said that there may be a petition drive to remove some Commissioners.

“I don’t know if the Commissioners should stay here if they don’t get along,” he said. “The way they acted tonight, I don’t think they should be Commissioners. Maybe we can do a petition to get them removed.”

The dispute has also raised eyebrows in Trenton. Mayor Phil Kramer said on June 11 that he had been contacted by a member of Gov. Phil Murphy’s staff, who said the governor was keeping abreast of the dispute.

Following is video of comments made by the public during the meeting:

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At the heart of the dispute are some new conditions included in the proposed contract between the Fire District and the fire department. The Fire District owns all of the fire trucks, gear and other apparatus, and the fire department owns the building in which all of that is stored.

The Fire Districts also pay for members’ life insurance and other financial considerations. The current contract expired at the end of March.

The other fire company in District 3, Community Fire Department, has signed the contract.

At the crux of the issue are new stipulations the Commissioners have included in the latest proposed contract, to which the EFVFC membership objects.

Those stipulations include removing a provision giving fire chiefs input into proposed policy changes, installing new video and audio recording devices in department vehicles and apparatus, and ending reimbursement for fire fighters’ personal property damaged or lost while responding to calls.

Krushinski said that there have been cameras in department apparatus for years. The difference between what’s in there now and what the Commission is proposing is that the current cameras are triggered by flashing lights being turned on, while the proposed camera system would run continually.

Krushinski said that would be a violation of members’ privacy.

In addition to the contract term disputes, another reason for the impasse could be a personal dispute between Krushinski and Commission Chairman Sherrod Middleton, according to a May 20 letter from the EFVFC’s attorney, Suzanne Marasco, to George Morris, the Commission’s attorney.

“We believe that this impasse is largely due to Commissioner Middleton’s personal gripe with and
feelings toward Chief Krushinski,” Marasco wrote. “You should be aware that he was overheard following the Fire District’s meeting stating that he wants to ‘do away with anyone’ that is involved with or associated with Chief Krushinski. He also stated (though his actions clearly demonstrate) that he is seeking to remove Chief Krushinski as well.”

“It is crystal clear that Commissioner Middleton’s intentions are retaliatory and in direct response to the Chief’s difference of opinion and efforts to keep his members protected,” she wrote.

Marasco brought up the same point during the June 11 meeting, but Middleton did not respond, other than to shake his head “no.”

Following is video of an earlier portion of the meeting:

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This is a developing story and will be updated as new information is learned.

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