TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A disagreement over whether three recently elected councilors were aiming to cut the volunteer fire department’s budget by 10% ended with another nasty exchange between newly elected council president Michael DeSena and Mayor Peter Calamari.
At the first meeting Jan. 2, DeSena and Calamari clashed over the new council majority’s efforts to cut the next budget’s “discretionary spending” by 10% and its initial decision not to rehire John K. Corcoran as the chief financial officer. Corcoran was rehired following a second council vote after it became clear he was needed to assist with proposed budget cuts.
The newly elected council majority includes Council President DeSena, councilman Michael Ullman, and council vice president (the re-elected) Steven Cascio. So far, the new majority—tending to vote 3-2, with Republicans Tom Sears and Daisy Velez in the minority—has not revealed where it sees 10% cuts in “discretionary spending” that Cascio campaigned on.
On Jan. 15 DeSena and Ullman assured several residents that they were not planning to cut the volunteer fire department’s budget. However, Ullman said he would not attend a chief’s dinner that he was invited to as he felt that could be a “discretionary spend” that he, DeSena and incumbent Cascio had campaigned against.
Moreover, an 11-minute gap in the WCTV-NJ YouTube video left residents viewing the meeting remotely in the dark, although Pascack Press followed up with longtime volunteer firefighter Michael Agnello, who criticized the council majority during the public comment period. WCTV told Agnello they were working to fix the video for the community television broadcast and would then fix the YouTube video on the website.
During the public comment period, Agnello criticized Ullman for suggesting he might push to cut the fire department’s budget and noted that the chief’s dinner was mostly paid, 75%, by department fundraising.
“Each member of the department volunteers an average of 18 hours of their personal time to sell Christmas trees, for which we raise enough money to pay for most of the annual dinner,” said Agnello.
He stressed the chief’s dinner was an honor bestowed on a volunteer after decades of volunteer service to the town, which involved “countless hours away from his family, and becoming more administratively involved with each step that he climbs the ladder, ultimately managing the entire department as the chief.”
Agnello said that “Without these volunteers giving their time and efforts to the town, you would have to at the least duplicate the police salary budget for a paid fire department.”
He told council that the department could not continue these “well deserved dinners without the continued support from the town” noting that that financing “is a small token to pay in comparison to salaries.”
He said he feared his comments were “falling on deaf ears” if the council planned to cut such “discretionary spending” as funds for a chief’s dinner. He suggested if that was the case, he recommended the new councilors looking to cut such funds become fire department volunteers and “first lead by example.”
Agnello said, “Make the first line item that you cut as discretionary spending be your council seat salaries. Be a volunteer to this community, the same way your fire department and ambulance corps is. Expect nothing for what you do,” he added
Sears, a longtime volunteer firefighter, said it was “utterly disgusting” that councilmembers would consider cutting the fire department budget. “Some people ought to think about their position on the council,” he said.
Velez said, “It’s a shame that we do not appreciate the volunteers we do have in this town. And that volunteer firefighters who put their lives on the line for our residents even have to deal with the idea of being cut. You have my absolute support. Our volunteers do not get the recognition they deserve across departments. Thank you for your service and thank you Mr. Sears, for your service.”
Ullman told Agnello he did not intend his decision not to attend the chief’s dinner as “a personal attack on you or the fire department” but said it would be “hypocritical” for him to attend a dinner that he considered a “discretionary spend.”
Calamari, DeSena exchange words
When Calamari asked to comment on a resident’s remarks, DeSena told him, “Not at this time Mr. Mayor.” Then Calamari suggested to DeSena that he should ask members of dais if they had any questions or comments before moving to the next public speaker. DeSena said he did. “You did?” replied Calamari.
After resident David Snyde urged no budget cuts be made in the “essential services” provided by the fire and police departments, DeSena said they had no intention of doing that. “We’re in total agreement with you,” DeSena told him.
When DeSena called for more audience comments, Calamari replied, “So we can’t comment on what he just said either?” Replied DeSena, “It is our meeting, Mr. Mayor.”
Calamari retorted: “Oh, we’re starting that.”
Sears then asked whether the mayor was allowed to speak at council meetings. “That is not what I said, Mr. Sears,” said DeSena. “We are moving on, the subject’s been discussed.”
But Sears questioned why Calamari could not speak. “We’re moving on.” DeSena said.
Replied Calamari, “You don’t have 30 seconds to give me?”
“Not at this time, Mr. Mayor,” DeSena answered. Calamari replied, “Might I ask why?” to DeSena while Sears noted, “You don’t allow the mayor to speak?”
DeSena replied, “That is not what I said, Mr. Sears; do not put words in my mouth.” When the mayor asked when he might speak, DeSena said Calamari had made some “false accusations” against him at the last meeting. “I did?” replied Calamari, adding “What were they?”
DeSena first said he would not get into a discussion on it. “So you’re just going to take it out on me, without giving me a chance to defend myself,” said the mayor.
DeSena then said the mayor had charged the newly elected councilors (and former councilman Robert Bruno) with spending $13 million, which DeSena said was approved for the firehouse, fire vehicles and prior bond anticipation notes (or bans) that converted that BAN debt into long-term bonds and brought interest rates under 1%. Calamari disputed DeSena’s version of the spending.
DeSena said the debt was incurred for the firehouse and refinancing past BANs, which totaled about $7 million. DeSena said when Calamari stops “putting articles out in the paper [Calamari sent in a letter to the editor last week] and mislead people, I will let you talk.” Calamari asked, “May I talk now?” DeSena said no.
“What a joke. You can’t take it Mike, can you?” said Calamari.
Said DeSena, “I can take it but I do not like to be disparaged.”
Calamari then left the dais and went to sit in the audience to speak as a member of the public.
“This is getting to be an unfortunate habit that I have to come off the dais to speak. Have we really deteriorated into this?” asked Calamari.
Replied DeSena, “No, we have not.” Replied Calamari, “Well, you shut me up.”
“Right, this is my five minutes, not yours,” he told DeSena. He said the new members had voted for a new ladder truck and new fire engine, and DeSena agreed. Calamari charged that was $2 million more in spending on top of the firehouse cost. However, DeSena said that was “permanently bonded” at under 1% interest, and Calamari disputed DeSena’s statement.
The mayor then asked DeSena if he would be able to speak under the conference agenda, where he had listed several items. DeSena told him he could speak then.
“You see what their council is doing … this town is a laughingstock,” quipped Calamari, while walking back to his seat on the dais.