The staff of the Oxford Fire Department is now short one full-time firefighter as a result of the political battles and uncertainties engulfing the Oxford Public Fire and EMS Commission like quicksand.
OPFEC last Wednesday rejected promoting paid-on-call firefighter Darin Balinski to full-time status, effectively reducing the number of full-time firefighters from four to three.
Balinski was next in line on the department’s eligility list to fill the vacancy left by the departure of full-time firefighter Paul Dallas two weeks ago. Dallas left Oxford for a position on the Pontiac Fire Department.
Commissioner Joe Ferrari called Balinski an ‘excellent choice? to fill the vacancy. ‘He’s very dedicated to this department,? Ferrari said. ‘He’s given a lot of hours.?
However, Ferrari’s motion to promote Balinski was met with opposition relating to the political challenges plaguing OPFEC.
Commissioner Steve Allen opposed the promotion because of ‘two major issues? currently facing OPFEC.
The first is the township and village’s ongoing and heated debate over ownership of the fire department (see page 5 for related story). ‘The future of this is really up in the air,? he said.
The other is the possible unionization of the fire department. Allen expressed his concern that if a union contract is eventually approved with ‘significantly higher? costs than OPFEC has budgeted for, the last person hired might have to be laid off and that’s ‘not fair to them.?
‘I really question the sense (of hiring a full-time firefighter) at this point with the future somewhat shaky or unclear,? Allen said. ‘I really caution everybody about jumping head first into something like this.?
Allen said his opposition to the hiring is a ‘pure business decision,? not a political one.
‘When the future starts to look a little cloudy or uncertain,? Allen said it’s common for businesses to impose hiring freezes ‘until the business climate becomes more stable.?
Ferrari told the board it ‘shouldn’t hold Balinski and his future in doubt because of political ramifications.?
‘My goal is to get our current staffing up to speed, which is one (full-time) lieutenant and three (full-time) firefighters,? Ferrari said, noting that’s the staffing level currently budgeted for and it’s ‘what the community expects.?
Commissioner Dunn ‘respectfully? disagreed with Ferrari.
‘We don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,? Dunn said. ‘I certainly wouldn’t want to take on a new firefighter and three months down the line find out that we can’t afford him. I think it’s unfair. I would love to be able to put someone on, I just can’t in good conscience do that at this time.?
Commissioner Jerry Dywasuk favored hiring Balinski.
‘We’ve told the people that we will make this adjustment without cutting service,? Dywasuk said. The ‘adjustment? he was referring to is the township’s recent vote to withdraw from OPFEC and pursue township ownership/operation of the fire department.
‘I think we need to continue the level of service we’ve been providing,? Dywasuk said.
Commissioner Clara Sanderson reminded her fellow officials that they’re being asked to fill the vacancy of an existing position, not create a new one.
Fire Chief Jack LeRoy told the board that ‘If we do not fill (the vacancy), we will not be covering one of our stations during the day.?
LeRoy explained that up until two weeks ago Dallas had been covering Station #2 (located at Drahner and Newman roads) Monday through Friday during the daytime hours. With Dallas gone, the chief said the station ‘will go unstaffed.?
The chief said he could try to staff Station #2 with paid-on-call personnel, however, their availability is limited by their regular jobs and other scheduling demands.
Since Dallas? departure, the chief said he’s utilized paid-on-call staff, ‘when available,? to man the station, but a ‘couple of days it wasn’t covered.?
LeRoy told the board he ‘can’t guarantee? someone will be at the station everyday, unless another full-timer is hired.
In the chief’s opinion, staffing Station #2 during the day is ‘necessary? for ‘quicker response.?
‘If we built a second station to provide better service, then it was our intent to fill that station and staff it in order to do that,? LeRoy told officials.
‘As a taxpayer, I want to have somebody at that station,? Ferrari said, noting the political aspect of who’s running the fire department is ‘immaterial? comparised to maintaining the level of service residents expect for the taxes they pay.
In the end, the motion to promote Balinski to the vacant full-time position failed due to a lack of support on the village half of the OPFEC board. Village officials failed the motion 3-2 whereas township officials passed it 6-1.
Voting in favor of the motion were commissioners Ferrari, Sanderson, Dywasuk, Dave Bailey, Charles Kniffen, Renee Donovan, Pat Fitchena and Shirley Clancy.
Voting against the motion were commissioners Dunn, Allen, Matt Weber and George Del Vigna.
Later in the meeting, Ferrari said any commissioner comments about wanting to maintain the level of fire protection ‘ring hollow? with him in light of the commission’s decision not to hire Balinski.
‘It saddens me so much today that we’ve lessened out fire protection by not replacing Mr. Dallas,? Ferrari said.
Ferrari noted that the township board was ‘ready to hire? Balinski, but was ‘vetoed? by the village, which comprises only 18 percent of the fire department’s ownership as opposed to the township’s 82 percent, with both percentages based on the total State Equalized Value of each municipality.
‘That doesn’t happen in the real world,? Ferrari said.
Commissioner Dave Bailey stated that he didn’t believe the vote’s failuare was a ‘disaster? because the paid-on-call staff manning Station #2 are still ‘qualified firefighters.?