Tuesday, October 17, 2006
DID OCEANPORT DEMOCRATS MISS THE BOAT ON SHARED SERVICES 2?
SHARED SERVICES CONTINUED: For those of you who think that SHARED SERVICES is some contrived program or it is an issue that will fade away, you may be sadly mistaken. Please read the following Article that appeared in the Asbury Park Press on Saturday, October 7, 2006 and one that appeared on Monday, October 9, 2006.
In reading these articles it appears that Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr., R-Monmouth is really pushing this bill for towns to merge. In fact the Senator stated the following: "It needs to be mandated to those who oppose shattering the status quo," said Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, R-Monmouth, author of the plan for a merger commission.
What does this mean? Simply, if the Democratic Run Borough of Oceanport doesn’t act soon, the taxpayers may be stuck paying the tab for a feasibility study.
How could the Democratic Controlled Borough of Oceanport be so blind? Why are the Democrats so reluctant to consider any plans to MERGE SERVICES with the nearby towns?
If Oceanport jumped on board back in February 2006, the Town would not be in such a bind. The State would have financed any feasibility study with grant money. Senator Kyrillos basically said that those who oppose a plan to merge will eventually be mandated to conform.
Just think if the Democrats don’t act fast Oceanport may get stuck merging with Long Branch. Since Oceanport opted not to even start the process to negotiate a deal with Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson or Shrewsbury the taxpayer may suffer under a State mandated merger.
In reading these articles it appears that Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr., R-Monmouth is really pushing this bill for towns to merge. In fact the Senator stated the following: "It needs to be mandated to those who oppose shattering the status quo," said Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, R-Monmouth, author of the plan for a merger commission.
What does this mean? Simply, if the Democratic Run Borough of Oceanport doesn’t act soon, the taxpayers may be stuck paying the tab for a feasibility study.
How could the Democratic Controlled Borough of Oceanport be so blind? Why are the Democrats so reluctant to consider any plans to MERGE SERVICES with the nearby towns?
If Oceanport jumped on board back in February 2006, the Town would not be in such a bind. The State would have financed any feasibility study with grant money. Senator Kyrillos basically said that those who oppose a plan to merge will eventually be mandated to conform.
Just think if the Democrats don’t act fast Oceanport may get stuck merging with Long Branch. Since Oceanport opted not to even start the process to negotiate a deal with Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson or Shrewsbury the taxpayer may suffer under a State mandated merger.
All the other nearby towns who were represented at that meeting back in February 2006, have initiated the process to study the SHARED SERVICE program. However, Democratic Councilman Ted Ibex and Councilman Briscione dragged their feet and of course no mention of them jumping on board with Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson or Shrewsbury.
EIGHT MONTHS later the Democratic Councilman Ibex produced a less than satisfactory report concerning the Dispatch issue and Briscione has not produced any report. What have they been doing for the last EIGHT MONTHS while Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson, Shrewsbury, West Long Branch and Ocean Township have been actively researching and preparing reports concerning SHARED SERVICES.
And here is the update which was posted in the Asbury Park Press on Tuesday, October 17, 2006. The Town Council of Little Silver unanimously has approved applying for a grant to conduct a Study of SHARED SERVICES. Again, where is Oceanport? They are so far behind the curve again they are in LAST PLACE.
INTERESTING NOTE: UNNAMED OCEANPORT OFFCIALS CONCTACTED LITTLE SILVER COUNCILMAN, DECLAN O’SCANLON ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2006, THE VERY SAME DAY THIS BLOG POSTED A MESSAGE EXPOSING THE OCEANPORT DEMOCRATS FOR LACKING THE MOTOVATION AND INITIATIVE WITH EXPLORING SHARED SERVICES.
IS IT A REACTIVATE OCEANPORT DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED BOROUGH ATTEMPTING TO DO DAMAGE CONTROL?
IT WAS POSTED IN THE PASS THAT THE OCEANPORT DEMOCRATS DON'T APPEARED TO BE VERY PROACTIVE, BUT ARE EXTREMELY REACTIVE AND ONLY ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES FACING OCEANPORT WHEN THE CONCERN IS BROUGHT TO THEM BY WAY OF A LAW SUIT, A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, AND NOW A POSTING ON THIS BLOG. THIS ARTICLE CERTAINLY PROVED THIS BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.
VOTE REPLUBICAN FOR A PROACTIVE GOVERNMENT IN OCEANPORT
A CALL TO LITTLE SILVER AFTER THE ISSUE OF SHARED SERVICES APPEARED IN THE NEWSPAPER AND ON THIS BLOG? BETTER LATE THAT NEVER…………………………………………………
THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE ASBURY PARK ARTICLE, DATED TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2006.
Officials from Oceanport and Shrewsbury also may be interested in joining the Two River Shared Services Committee, and contacted Little Silver officials last Friday, said Little Silver Councilman Declan O'Scanlon.
The Democrats in Oceanport have clearly sent a clear message by their failure to enter into any meetings BEFORE, FRIDAY OCTOBER 13th, 2006, with Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson and Shrewsbury directly relating to SHARED SERVICES. Read the following:
LITTLE SILVER OKS STUDY OF 3-TOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT
Rumson, Fair Haven to consider same action
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/17/06
BY LARRY HIGGS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
RUMSON, FAIR HAVEN TO CONSIDER SHARED SERVICES
LITTLE SILVER — The Borough Council became the first of three municipalities to take up and approve studying a proposed consolidation of police departments on the peninsula as a possible way to reduce property taxes.
Council members voted unanimously Monday to apply for a $20,000 state Sharing Available Resources Efficiently grant to study merging police departments with Fair Haven and Rumson and to allocate $3,333, which is the borough's share of the match each municipality must provide.
Councils in the other two boroughs will be asked to consider a measure similar to the Little Silver resolution. Each borough would vote on forming the study committee and allocating $3,333 to provide a match to a $20,000 state grant to conduct the study. Rumson officials meet on Thursday.
Little Silver Mayor Suzanne S. Castleman said a study must be careful and deliberate and must answer all questions.
"It must be done right, or it will never work," Castleman said. "All who need to be spoken to should be spoken to. There is no rush. No one has a gun to our head."
She assured residents that officials do not want to see the current levels of service decline.
"We don't want it to work poorly, and we can't take services away from the residents," she said.
Pending approval by the Rumson and Fair Haven councils, Little Silver officials will take the lead in the study.
Officials from Oceanport and Shrewsbury also may be interested in joining the Two River Shared Services Committee, and contacted Little Silver officials last Friday, said Little Silver Councilman Declan O'Scanlon.
"We're interested in talking to them and seeing if it makes sense," he said.
The police study will likely proceed with Fair Haven, Rumson and Little Silver, he added.
Little Silver Councilman Jonathan Bitman cautioned against creating a new department that is too large.
"It's a good idea, but if it gets so big, then it loses its efficiency," Bitman said.
The study committee's first order of business is to hire a consultant to look at the proposed police merger. The possible merger to form a "Two Rivers" police department is patterned after consolidation of the Wharton and Mine Hill police departments in Morris County, and a study would examine that consolidation.
This is the second proposed police merger undergoing examination in the Shore area. This summer, Belmar officials proposed creating a regional force with police departments in Brielle, Lake Como, Manasquan, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights and Wall.
Officials said that a police merger only would be considered if it did not affect response times to calls, didn't degrade service and if staffing would be reduced through attrition and not through firings or layoffs.
Officials in the three Two River towns said they could apply for the state grant in 30 days and estimate they could have an answer 30 days after that. Ultimately, results from a study could be known in about five to six months.
PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST TO FORMULATE YOUR OWN OPINION(S)
Getting serious about "sharing"
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/7/06
Getting Serious about SHARING
A proposal by Sen. Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr., R-Monmouth, to create a special commission to recommend municipal mergers received a thorough airing Wednesday before the committee examining government consolidation as a means of reducing the state's high property tax burden. That's encouraging news to those who rightly believe that the cost of the state's 566 local governments could be reduced if there were fewer of them.
Committee chairman Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex, endorsed the plan with one significant change. Smith wants a public vote on any mergers rather than the up-or-down vote by the Legislature on the commission's list recommended in Kyrillos' version. That's a positive change, one that could greatly improve the plan's chances in the Legislature. The public should have a direct say on the future of their town rather than leaving it to the political whims of lawmakers in an all-or-nothing vote.
"New Jersey citizens should have the government that they want and that they are willing to pay for," Smith said. To that end, the financial impact of any merger should be made clear to the voters. That should include any state aid offered to encourage efficiency through mergers, another proposal discussed by the consolidation committee.
Consideration of the second part of Kyrillos' consolidation proposal — county school business boards — was put aside for another hearing. It, too, should get a full hearing. Kyrillos foresees significant savings in bulk purchasing of school supplies and countywide negotiating of contracts for maintenance, cafeteria and health services. Critics say the savings won't amount to much. We disagree. Our only problem is that the proposal doesn't go far enough. A commission similar to the one proposed for studying municipal consolidation should be created to study school consolidation.
The committee also discussed putting spending caps on fire districts and either eliminating the public vote or moving it to the November election to encourage higher turnout. We have a better idea: eliminate fire districts altogether and incorporate their operations into regional or county entities. They are a gross example of an unnecessary and costly level of government.
Lawmakers will continue to encounter stiff resistance from unions and other special interest groups that fear, rightly or wrongly, they could be hurt by improved government efficiency. Legislators must stand their ground. It will be far easier to do so if they can begin providing credible numbers on projected savings.
Legislators to debate town mergers
Lawmakers face questions this week about cutting New Jersey's property taxes
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/9/06
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LEGISLATORS TO DEBATE TOWN MERGERS
TRENTON — To force town mergers or not to force town mergers? That is the question facing New Jersey's legislators this week.
Whether to try and cut New Jersey's highest-in-the-nation property taxes by forcing towns to merge has become a contentious topic, and lawmakers will continue discussing the matter Wednesday as part of a bid to cut property taxes by year's end.
A special legislative committee discussing property tax reform has informally thrown its support behind legislation to create a special commission to decide which municipalities should be merged. The bill calls for the plan to get a single, up-or-down vote from legislators, though some lawmakers want voters to get final say.
The state has 1,389 local governments, including 566 municipalities, but municipal officials oppose forced mergers.
The same committee this week is expected to discuss a bill by Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. to create a single law outlining regionalization and shared services, compared to the 337 laws that now govern such moves. The New Jersey League of Municipalities has worked with Roberts on the bill, and its executive director, Bill Dressel, said it could become a "landmark piece of legislation."
Dressel and League adviser Gregory Fehrenbach said voluntary shared service agreements that already exist throughout the state have proved most effective and argued nobody has demonstrated forced mergers would save money. They said Roberts' bill would promote more shared services.
"Many smaller municipalities strive daily to provide services at a lower cost than some larger municipalities are able to do, and those smaller municipalities succeed," Fehrenbach said. "They do without services. They use part-time employees and volunteers. They do not provide enviable salaries and benefits to their employees. They scavenge older vehicles for parts to keep better vehicles operating, forgoing the purchase of new vehicles and equipment. They take donations."
Lawmakers aren't convinced, arguing that having less municipalities helps reduce property taxes by streamlining government. They also doubt municipal officials are willing to merge.
"It needs to be mandated to those who oppose shattering the status quo," said Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, R-Monmouth, author of the plan for a merger commission.
Read on to view that fine piece of work called a Memorandum from Democratic Councilman Ted Ibex concerning SHARED SERVICES: I was just wondering if this is the elegant report that the residents have been waiting 8 months to view?
This isn’t a report addressing the feasibility of SHARED SERVICES. This is nothing more than questions? Where is the detailed report showing statistics, as well as a detailed cost analysis? In fact, these are the same questions asked back in February 2006. What work did Ibex really do on this project? Please someone call him to task.
This Memorandum is an embarrassment to the Democratic Council. It is clear proof that the Democrats did nothing concerning SHARED SERVICES for the last eight months. WAS THIS NEGLECT OF DOING THE JOB AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE? Based on the IBEX Memorandum it appears that nobody did anything.
This Memorandum is real evidence showing the lack of ambition by the Democrats. In Fact the postings on this blog are better prepared than the Memo.
THE BOROUGH OF OCEANPORT IS STARVING FOR FRESH FACES IN GOVERNMENT.
VOTE REPLUBICAN NOVEMBER 7TH FOR A BRAND NEW START WITH NEW IDEAS
ELLEN KAHLE JOE IRACE WILL JOHNSON
In fact who are these questions presented too? I thought Ibex and Briscione were heading the SHARED SERVICES study? A study should consist of a voluminous report with graphs, charts and spreadsheets detailing every aspect of shared services with a comprehensive comparison study.
The writer must write the report from an objective view point. The purpose of any report is to report the facts, not to put a bias spin on the issue. That is why the STUDY should be completed by an outside independent firm so that there is no slant to the report. NOT ANY PERSON DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE ISSUE.
IF A PERSON DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE ISSUE WRITES A REPORT OR CONDUCTS A STUDY OF THE ISSUE, THIS PERSON WOULD POSITIVELY HAVE THE MOTIVATION OF WRITING A ONE SIDED REPORT TO PROTECT THEIR INTEREST.
The Report should be a very comprehensive description based on facts and financial records including comparisons between Oceanport and the County. I must say if the Democratic Councilman is asking these questions at this junction, he is way behind the other towns. Questions such as HOW REALISTIC/ACCURATE ARE THE ESTIMATED COST SAVINGS? That says it all. HEY OCEANPORT WAKE UP ALREADY. THE OTHER TOWNS HAVE APPLIED FOR GRANT MONEY TO GET THESE ANSWERS?
YOU CAN NOT GET ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS UNLESS YOU HIRE AN INDEPENDENT, NON-BIAS FIRM TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY FROM AN OBJECTIVE VIEWPOINT. NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR FROM A BIAS COUNCIL. OF COURSE THEY WILL WRITE THEIR REPORT WITH THEIR SPIN.
WHAT STEPS HAVE WE TAKEN TO VERIFY COUNTY COSTS?: ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS GET A CERTIFIED REPORT FROM THE COUNTY DETAILING THE COST OF RUNNING THE DISPTACH FROM THE COUNTY FOR A YEAR AND AN INDEPENDENT FIRM TO ANALYZED AND DOCUMENT THE COSTS TO RUN THE DISPATCH FROM OCEANPORT FOR A YEAR?
EIGHT MONTHS AND IBEX HASN’T DONE THIS YET?
HAVE WE TOURED THE FACILITY? ARE YOU KIDDING ME.? NINE MONTHS AFTER THE FACT IBEX HAS NOT DONE THIS HIMSELF? THE MNONMOUTH COUNTY DISPATCH FACILTY IS STATE OF THE ART SERVICE WITH MODERN EQUIPMENT AND HIGHLY TRAINED DISPATCHERS.
IN FACT THE COUNTY DISPATCHERS ARE TRAINED AS FIRST RESPONDERS WITH INSTRUCTION IN CPR. THE COUNTY DISPATCHERS ARE GIVEN A REFRESEHER COURSE EVERY YEAR TO KEEP UP ON THE CERTIFICATIONS.
CAN YOU SAY THE SAME FOR THE OCEANPORT DISPTACHERS?
ARE THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS TRAINED TO ASSIST A MOM WITH A CHOKING BABY OVER THE PHONE?
ARE THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS TRAINED IN CPR AND HEIMLICH MANEUVER? ARE THEY TRAINED TO HANDLE A CALL WHERE AN INTRUDER IS IN THE HOUSE AND THE CALLER IS A SMALL CHILD IN HIDING?
HOW OFTEN DO THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS RECEIVE TRAINING AND UPDATED REFRESHER COURSES?
ALL THIS IS OF PUBIC INFORMATION AND CAN BE CHECKED AT BOROUGH HALL. JUST ASK TO VIEW ALL CERTIFICATES REGARDING TRAINING AND REFRESHER COURSES COMPLETED BY THE DISPATCHERS. THIS WILL CLEARLY SHOW WHEN THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR LAST CERITIFIED TRAINING. THE CITZENS SHOULD BE ASSURED THAT OCEANPORT BOROUGH HAS THE MOST QUALIFIED DISPATCHERS.
IS THE OCEANPORT RADIO EQUIPMENT BETTER THAN THE COUNTIES EQUIPMENT?
THE ARGUMENT THAT A DISPATCHER KNOWS THE TOWN BETTER THAN A COUNTY DISPATCHER IS A WEAK ARGUMENT. UNLESS THE DISPATCHER IS REPSONDING TO THE CALL, WHAT IS DIFFERENCE IF THE CALL IS DISPATCHED FROM OCEANPORT OR MONMOUTH COUNTY?
EVEN THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS HAVE MADE ERRORS IN DISPATCHING TO WRONG LOCATIONS………
THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
This thirty-two (32) hour APCO course provides the next level of certification for personnel that are already Basic Telecommunicator Certified (BTC). It is required for anyone working for a police department or other agency that receives medical calls. Topics covered include responsibilities of the Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD), legal and liability issues, giving medical instructions by telephone and the use of emergency medical dispatch guide cards. This course includes more than a day and a half of role playing involving simulated 9-1-1 medical calls. Students who successfully complete this course will possess the fundamental skills to handle 9-1-1 medical calls. This program offers (21) elective CEU’s to qualified Emergency Medical Technicians.
Public Safety Telecommunicator / Basic 911
This forty (40) hour approved Association of Professional Communications Operators (APCO) course provides the basic level of certification required by the State of New Jersey for any personnel working for a police department or other dispatch agency where 9-1-1 calls are answered. Topics covered will include an overview of dispatch procedures, legal and liability issues, techniques for answering 9-1-1 calls, handling the caller with “special” needs, and the history of New Jersey’s 9-1-1 system. This course includes a full day of roll playing involving simulated 9-1-1 calls. Students who successfully complete this course will possess the fundamental skills required to begin working as a 9-1-1 call taker. There are no prerequisites for this course and no dispatch experience is required.
SOME SAY THERE IS A DELAY GETTING CALLS OUT BY THE COUNTY BUT, THERE IS NO DOCUMENTED INCIDENTS SUPPORTING THIS ARGUMENT. IF YOU USED THIS AS AN EXCUSE, THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE WRITTEN REPORTS TO SUPPORT THIS CLAIM.
RESPONSE TIME IS VERY CRUCIAL REGARDING CRITICAL INCIDENTS. BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO REVIEW STATISTICS TO DETERMINE HOW MANY CALLS FOR POLICE SERVICE MAY BE OF A LIFE THREATENING NATURE, AS OPPOSED TO NON-LIFE THREATENTING SITUATION.
THE OTHER ISSUE OF THE SENIORS IN NEED PROGRAM. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE INNOVATIVE AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THE PROGRAM WILL BE ABOLISHED BECAUSE THE DISPATCHERS WON’T BE IN THE BUILDING TO MAKE THOSE CALLS?
THIS ONLY CONFIRMS THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE RELUCTANT TO CHANGE SINCE THEY DID NOT OFFER ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IF THE TOWN DOES GO TO THE COUNTY DISPATCH.
WITHOUT SEEKING ALTERNATIVES SOLUTIONS TO RUNNING THE SENIORS IN NEED PROGRAM, THIS CONFIRMS A BIAS REPORT? THEY NEVER MENTIONED HOW MANY CALLS ARE ACTUALLY MADE TO THE SENIORS ON A DAILY BASIS OR WEEKLY COUNT. FIRST YOU NEED TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SENIORS ARE AFFECTED BY THIS AND HOW MANY CALLS ARE TO BE MADE. IF IT IS ONLY FIVE TO TEN CALLS TO BE MADE AS PART OF A DAILY ROUTINE, WHY CAN’T THESE CALLS BE DIVIDED AMONGST THE WORKING STAFF AND BE MADE ON A COMPANY ISSUED CELL PHONE?
IS THERE A LOG KEEP EVERYDAY TO DETERMINE WHO WAS CALLED AND WHEN THEY WERE CALLED? THE LOG SHOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN DETERMINING HOW MANY CALLS ARE MADE ON A DAILY BASIS.
THERE IS ALWAYS A SOLUTION TO THESE SMALL PROBLEMS.
THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE PUT TO A REFERENDUM AFTER A COMPLETE AND THOROUGH REPORT IS PREPARED BY AN INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE FIRM.
THE MOST AMAZING ISSUE IS NOT THE DISPATCH ISSUE, BUT THE FACT IT HAD TAKEN THE DEMOCRATIC COUNCILMAN TED IBEX 8 MONTHS TO PREPARE A USELESS REPORT. IN ALL HONESTY THIS REPORT COULD HAVE TAKEN MORE THAN 15 MINUTES TO PREPARE, AND IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LIST OF QUESTIONS. AND THEY WERE QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED EIGHT MONTHS AGO. WHAT A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN OCEANPORT. IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TOOK TO GET THIS REPORT OUT A NOVEL COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT MOUNT RUSHMORE WAS BUILT IN LESS TIME? WELL HERE IT IS……………………………………………………
Memorandum
To: Mayor and Governing Body
CC: Boro Clerk, CFO
From: Ted Ibex
Date: 10/5/2006
Re: Dispatch Services
Review of Purported Potential Savings:
. How realistic/accurate are the estimated cost savings?
• What steps have been taken to verify the county costs?
Have we toured the facility?
Have we interviewed management?
Do we have a proposal from the county?
What do we know about future cost increases?
What do we know about capacity of the county system?
At what level does county have to expand to handle traffic?
What do we know about the qualifications and knowledge of dispatchers to insure timely responses to correct location as
Compared to standards and performance of Oceanport team?
• Discussion and reconciliation of concerns expressed by chiefs memo of 7/16/2006.
• Services currently provided by OP that would most likely terminate if go to county system, i.e., Seniors in Need Program.
• Discussion of weighing welfare and safety of citizens vs. $ saved.
Timely and correct response may save lives.
Experience in Asbury Park.
Experiences within Oceanport.
• Are there alternatives?
• Strong belief in providing services at reasonable cost without sacrifice of welfare and safely of citizens. The question should be put to the voters either by a question on the ballet, requesting information by questionnaire, and possibly holding public hearing on the matter. If taxpayers want services and are willing to pay for them, then perhaps the debate is moot.
EIGHT MONTHS later the Democratic Councilman Ibex produced a less than satisfactory report concerning the Dispatch issue and Briscione has not produced any report. What have they been doing for the last EIGHT MONTHS while Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson, Shrewsbury, West Long Branch and Ocean Township have been actively researching and preparing reports concerning SHARED SERVICES.
And here is the update which was posted in the Asbury Park Press on Tuesday, October 17, 2006. The Town Council of Little Silver unanimously has approved applying for a grant to conduct a Study of SHARED SERVICES. Again, where is Oceanport? They are so far behind the curve again they are in LAST PLACE.
INTERESTING NOTE: UNNAMED OCEANPORT OFFCIALS CONCTACTED LITTLE SILVER COUNCILMAN, DECLAN O’SCANLON ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2006, THE VERY SAME DAY THIS BLOG POSTED A MESSAGE EXPOSING THE OCEANPORT DEMOCRATS FOR LACKING THE MOTOVATION AND INITIATIVE WITH EXPLORING SHARED SERVICES.
IS IT A REACTIVATE OCEANPORT DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED BOROUGH ATTEMPTING TO DO DAMAGE CONTROL?
IT WAS POSTED IN THE PASS THAT THE OCEANPORT DEMOCRATS DON'T APPEARED TO BE VERY PROACTIVE, BUT ARE EXTREMELY REACTIVE AND ONLY ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES FACING OCEANPORT WHEN THE CONCERN IS BROUGHT TO THEM BY WAY OF A LAW SUIT, A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, AND NOW A POSTING ON THIS BLOG. THIS ARTICLE CERTAINLY PROVED THIS BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.
VOTE REPLUBICAN FOR A PROACTIVE GOVERNMENT IN OCEANPORT
A CALL TO LITTLE SILVER AFTER THE ISSUE OF SHARED SERVICES APPEARED IN THE NEWSPAPER AND ON THIS BLOG? BETTER LATE THAT NEVER…………………………………………………
THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE ASBURY PARK ARTICLE, DATED TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2006.
Officials from Oceanport and Shrewsbury also may be interested in joining the Two River Shared Services Committee, and contacted Little Silver officials last Friday, said Little Silver Councilman Declan O'Scanlon.
The Democrats in Oceanport have clearly sent a clear message by their failure to enter into any meetings BEFORE, FRIDAY OCTOBER 13th, 2006, with Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson and Shrewsbury directly relating to SHARED SERVICES. Read the following:
LITTLE SILVER OKS STUDY OF 3-TOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT
Rumson, Fair Haven to consider same action
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/17/06
BY LARRY HIGGS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
RUMSON, FAIR HAVEN TO CONSIDER SHARED SERVICES
LITTLE SILVER — The Borough Council became the first of three municipalities to take up and approve studying a proposed consolidation of police departments on the peninsula as a possible way to reduce property taxes.
Council members voted unanimously Monday to apply for a $20,000 state Sharing Available Resources Efficiently grant to study merging police departments with Fair Haven and Rumson and to allocate $3,333, which is the borough's share of the match each municipality must provide.
Councils in the other two boroughs will be asked to consider a measure similar to the Little Silver resolution. Each borough would vote on forming the study committee and allocating $3,333 to provide a match to a $20,000 state grant to conduct the study. Rumson officials meet on Thursday.
Little Silver Mayor Suzanne S. Castleman said a study must be careful and deliberate and must answer all questions.
"It must be done right, or it will never work," Castleman said. "All who need to be spoken to should be spoken to. There is no rush. No one has a gun to our head."
She assured residents that officials do not want to see the current levels of service decline.
"We don't want it to work poorly, and we can't take services away from the residents," she said.
Pending approval by the Rumson and Fair Haven councils, Little Silver officials will take the lead in the study.
Officials from Oceanport and Shrewsbury also may be interested in joining the Two River Shared Services Committee, and contacted Little Silver officials last Friday, said Little Silver Councilman Declan O'Scanlon.
"We're interested in talking to them and seeing if it makes sense," he said.
The police study will likely proceed with Fair Haven, Rumson and Little Silver, he added.
Little Silver Councilman Jonathan Bitman cautioned against creating a new department that is too large.
"It's a good idea, but if it gets so big, then it loses its efficiency," Bitman said.
The study committee's first order of business is to hire a consultant to look at the proposed police merger. The possible merger to form a "Two Rivers" police department is patterned after consolidation of the Wharton and Mine Hill police departments in Morris County, and a study would examine that consolidation.
This is the second proposed police merger undergoing examination in the Shore area. This summer, Belmar officials proposed creating a regional force with police departments in Brielle, Lake Como, Manasquan, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights and Wall.
Officials said that a police merger only would be considered if it did not affect response times to calls, didn't degrade service and if staffing would be reduced through attrition and not through firings or layoffs.
Officials in the three Two River towns said they could apply for the state grant in 30 days and estimate they could have an answer 30 days after that. Ultimately, results from a study could be known in about five to six months.
PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST TO FORMULATE YOUR OWN OPINION(S)
Getting serious about "sharing"
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/7/06
Getting Serious about SHARING
A proposal by Sen. Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr., R-Monmouth, to create a special commission to recommend municipal mergers received a thorough airing Wednesday before the committee examining government consolidation as a means of reducing the state's high property tax burden. That's encouraging news to those who rightly believe that the cost of the state's 566 local governments could be reduced if there were fewer of them.
Committee chairman Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex, endorsed the plan with one significant change. Smith wants a public vote on any mergers rather than the up-or-down vote by the Legislature on the commission's list recommended in Kyrillos' version. That's a positive change, one that could greatly improve the plan's chances in the Legislature. The public should have a direct say on the future of their town rather than leaving it to the political whims of lawmakers in an all-or-nothing vote.
"New Jersey citizens should have the government that they want and that they are willing to pay for," Smith said. To that end, the financial impact of any merger should be made clear to the voters. That should include any state aid offered to encourage efficiency through mergers, another proposal discussed by the consolidation committee.
Consideration of the second part of Kyrillos' consolidation proposal — county school business boards — was put aside for another hearing. It, too, should get a full hearing. Kyrillos foresees significant savings in bulk purchasing of school supplies and countywide negotiating of contracts for maintenance, cafeteria and health services. Critics say the savings won't amount to much. We disagree. Our only problem is that the proposal doesn't go far enough. A commission similar to the one proposed for studying municipal consolidation should be created to study school consolidation.
The committee also discussed putting spending caps on fire districts and either eliminating the public vote or moving it to the November election to encourage higher turnout. We have a better idea: eliminate fire districts altogether and incorporate their operations into regional or county entities. They are a gross example of an unnecessary and costly level of government.
Lawmakers will continue to encounter stiff resistance from unions and other special interest groups that fear, rightly or wrongly, they could be hurt by improved government efficiency. Legislators must stand their ground. It will be far easier to do so if they can begin providing credible numbers on projected savings.
Legislators to debate town mergers
Lawmakers face questions this week about cutting New Jersey's property taxes
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/9/06
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LEGISLATORS TO DEBATE TOWN MERGERS
TRENTON — To force town mergers or not to force town mergers? That is the question facing New Jersey's legislators this week.
Whether to try and cut New Jersey's highest-in-the-nation property taxes by forcing towns to merge has become a contentious topic, and lawmakers will continue discussing the matter Wednesday as part of a bid to cut property taxes by year's end.
A special legislative committee discussing property tax reform has informally thrown its support behind legislation to create a special commission to decide which municipalities should be merged. The bill calls for the plan to get a single, up-or-down vote from legislators, though some lawmakers want voters to get final say.
The state has 1,389 local governments, including 566 municipalities, but municipal officials oppose forced mergers.
The same committee this week is expected to discuss a bill by Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. to create a single law outlining regionalization and shared services, compared to the 337 laws that now govern such moves. The New Jersey League of Municipalities has worked with Roberts on the bill, and its executive director, Bill Dressel, said it could become a "landmark piece of legislation."
Dressel and League adviser Gregory Fehrenbach said voluntary shared service agreements that already exist throughout the state have proved most effective and argued nobody has demonstrated forced mergers would save money. They said Roberts' bill would promote more shared services.
"Many smaller municipalities strive daily to provide services at a lower cost than some larger municipalities are able to do, and those smaller municipalities succeed," Fehrenbach said. "They do without services. They use part-time employees and volunteers. They do not provide enviable salaries and benefits to their employees. They scavenge older vehicles for parts to keep better vehicles operating, forgoing the purchase of new vehicles and equipment. They take donations."
Lawmakers aren't convinced, arguing that having less municipalities helps reduce property taxes by streamlining government. They also doubt municipal officials are willing to merge.
"It needs to be mandated to those who oppose shattering the status quo," said Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, R-Monmouth, author of the plan for a merger commission.
Read on to view that fine piece of work called a Memorandum from Democratic Councilman Ted Ibex concerning SHARED SERVICES: I was just wondering if this is the elegant report that the residents have been waiting 8 months to view?
This isn’t a report addressing the feasibility of SHARED SERVICES. This is nothing more than questions? Where is the detailed report showing statistics, as well as a detailed cost analysis? In fact, these are the same questions asked back in February 2006. What work did Ibex really do on this project? Please someone call him to task.
This Memorandum is an embarrassment to the Democratic Council. It is clear proof that the Democrats did nothing concerning SHARED SERVICES for the last eight months. WAS THIS NEGLECT OF DOING THE JOB AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE? Based on the IBEX Memorandum it appears that nobody did anything.
This Memorandum is real evidence showing the lack of ambition by the Democrats. In Fact the postings on this blog are better prepared than the Memo.
THE BOROUGH OF OCEANPORT IS STARVING FOR FRESH FACES IN GOVERNMENT.
VOTE REPLUBICAN NOVEMBER 7TH FOR A BRAND NEW START WITH NEW IDEAS
ELLEN KAHLE JOE IRACE WILL JOHNSON
In fact who are these questions presented too? I thought Ibex and Briscione were heading the SHARED SERVICES study? A study should consist of a voluminous report with graphs, charts and spreadsheets detailing every aspect of shared services with a comprehensive comparison study.
The writer must write the report from an objective view point. The purpose of any report is to report the facts, not to put a bias spin on the issue. That is why the STUDY should be completed by an outside independent firm so that there is no slant to the report. NOT ANY PERSON DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE ISSUE.
IF A PERSON DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE ISSUE WRITES A REPORT OR CONDUCTS A STUDY OF THE ISSUE, THIS PERSON WOULD POSITIVELY HAVE THE MOTIVATION OF WRITING A ONE SIDED REPORT TO PROTECT THEIR INTEREST.
The Report should be a very comprehensive description based on facts and financial records including comparisons between Oceanport and the County. I must say if the Democratic Councilman is asking these questions at this junction, he is way behind the other towns. Questions such as HOW REALISTIC/ACCURATE ARE THE ESTIMATED COST SAVINGS? That says it all. HEY OCEANPORT WAKE UP ALREADY. THE OTHER TOWNS HAVE APPLIED FOR GRANT MONEY TO GET THESE ANSWERS?
YOU CAN NOT GET ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS UNLESS YOU HIRE AN INDEPENDENT, NON-BIAS FIRM TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY FROM AN OBJECTIVE VIEWPOINT. NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR FROM A BIAS COUNCIL. OF COURSE THEY WILL WRITE THEIR REPORT WITH THEIR SPIN.
WHAT STEPS HAVE WE TAKEN TO VERIFY COUNTY COSTS?: ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS GET A CERTIFIED REPORT FROM THE COUNTY DETAILING THE COST OF RUNNING THE DISPTACH FROM THE COUNTY FOR A YEAR AND AN INDEPENDENT FIRM TO ANALYZED AND DOCUMENT THE COSTS TO RUN THE DISPATCH FROM OCEANPORT FOR A YEAR?
EIGHT MONTHS AND IBEX HASN’T DONE THIS YET?
HAVE WE TOURED THE FACILITY? ARE YOU KIDDING ME.? NINE MONTHS AFTER THE FACT IBEX HAS NOT DONE THIS HIMSELF? THE MNONMOUTH COUNTY DISPATCH FACILTY IS STATE OF THE ART SERVICE WITH MODERN EQUIPMENT AND HIGHLY TRAINED DISPATCHERS.
IN FACT THE COUNTY DISPATCHERS ARE TRAINED AS FIRST RESPONDERS WITH INSTRUCTION IN CPR. THE COUNTY DISPATCHERS ARE GIVEN A REFRESEHER COURSE EVERY YEAR TO KEEP UP ON THE CERTIFICATIONS.
CAN YOU SAY THE SAME FOR THE OCEANPORT DISPTACHERS?
ARE THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS TRAINED TO ASSIST A MOM WITH A CHOKING BABY OVER THE PHONE?
ARE THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS TRAINED IN CPR AND HEIMLICH MANEUVER? ARE THEY TRAINED TO HANDLE A CALL WHERE AN INTRUDER IS IN THE HOUSE AND THE CALLER IS A SMALL CHILD IN HIDING?
HOW OFTEN DO THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS RECEIVE TRAINING AND UPDATED REFRESHER COURSES?
ALL THIS IS OF PUBIC INFORMATION AND CAN BE CHECKED AT BOROUGH HALL. JUST ASK TO VIEW ALL CERTIFICATES REGARDING TRAINING AND REFRESHER COURSES COMPLETED BY THE DISPATCHERS. THIS WILL CLEARLY SHOW WHEN THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR LAST CERITIFIED TRAINING. THE CITZENS SHOULD BE ASSURED THAT OCEANPORT BOROUGH HAS THE MOST QUALIFIED DISPATCHERS.
IS THE OCEANPORT RADIO EQUIPMENT BETTER THAN THE COUNTIES EQUIPMENT?
THE ARGUMENT THAT A DISPATCHER KNOWS THE TOWN BETTER THAN A COUNTY DISPATCHER IS A WEAK ARGUMENT. UNLESS THE DISPATCHER IS REPSONDING TO THE CALL, WHAT IS DIFFERENCE IF THE CALL IS DISPATCHED FROM OCEANPORT OR MONMOUTH COUNTY?
EVEN THE OCEANPORT DISPATCHERS HAVE MADE ERRORS IN DISPATCHING TO WRONG LOCATIONS………
THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
This thirty-two (32) hour APCO course provides the next level of certification for personnel that are already Basic Telecommunicator Certified (BTC). It is required for anyone working for a police department or other agency that receives medical calls. Topics covered include responsibilities of the Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD), legal and liability issues, giving medical instructions by telephone and the use of emergency medical dispatch guide cards. This course includes more than a day and a half of role playing involving simulated 9-1-1 medical calls. Students who successfully complete this course will possess the fundamental skills to handle 9-1-1 medical calls. This program offers (21) elective CEU’s to qualified Emergency Medical Technicians.
Public Safety Telecommunicator / Basic 911
This forty (40) hour approved Association of Professional Communications Operators (APCO) course provides the basic level of certification required by the State of New Jersey for any personnel working for a police department or other dispatch agency where 9-1-1 calls are answered. Topics covered will include an overview of dispatch procedures, legal and liability issues, techniques for answering 9-1-1 calls, handling the caller with “special” needs, and the history of New Jersey’s 9-1-1 system. This course includes a full day of roll playing involving simulated 9-1-1 calls. Students who successfully complete this course will possess the fundamental skills required to begin working as a 9-1-1 call taker. There are no prerequisites for this course and no dispatch experience is required.
SOME SAY THERE IS A DELAY GETTING CALLS OUT BY THE COUNTY BUT, THERE IS NO DOCUMENTED INCIDENTS SUPPORTING THIS ARGUMENT. IF YOU USED THIS AS AN EXCUSE, THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE WRITTEN REPORTS TO SUPPORT THIS CLAIM.
RESPONSE TIME IS VERY CRUCIAL REGARDING CRITICAL INCIDENTS. BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO REVIEW STATISTICS TO DETERMINE HOW MANY CALLS FOR POLICE SERVICE MAY BE OF A LIFE THREATENING NATURE, AS OPPOSED TO NON-LIFE THREATENTING SITUATION.
THE OTHER ISSUE OF THE SENIORS IN NEED PROGRAM. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE INNOVATIVE AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THE PROGRAM WILL BE ABOLISHED BECAUSE THE DISPATCHERS WON’T BE IN THE BUILDING TO MAKE THOSE CALLS?
THIS ONLY CONFIRMS THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE RELUCTANT TO CHANGE SINCE THEY DID NOT OFFER ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IF THE TOWN DOES GO TO THE COUNTY DISPATCH.
WITHOUT SEEKING ALTERNATIVES SOLUTIONS TO RUNNING THE SENIORS IN NEED PROGRAM, THIS CONFIRMS A BIAS REPORT? THEY NEVER MENTIONED HOW MANY CALLS ARE ACTUALLY MADE TO THE SENIORS ON A DAILY BASIS OR WEEKLY COUNT. FIRST YOU NEED TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SENIORS ARE AFFECTED BY THIS AND HOW MANY CALLS ARE TO BE MADE. IF IT IS ONLY FIVE TO TEN CALLS TO BE MADE AS PART OF A DAILY ROUTINE, WHY CAN’T THESE CALLS BE DIVIDED AMONGST THE WORKING STAFF AND BE MADE ON A COMPANY ISSUED CELL PHONE?
IS THERE A LOG KEEP EVERYDAY TO DETERMINE WHO WAS CALLED AND WHEN THEY WERE CALLED? THE LOG SHOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN DETERMINING HOW MANY CALLS ARE MADE ON A DAILY BASIS.
THERE IS ALWAYS A SOLUTION TO THESE SMALL PROBLEMS.
THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE PUT TO A REFERENDUM AFTER A COMPLETE AND THOROUGH REPORT IS PREPARED BY AN INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE FIRM.
THE MOST AMAZING ISSUE IS NOT THE DISPATCH ISSUE, BUT THE FACT IT HAD TAKEN THE DEMOCRATIC COUNCILMAN TED IBEX 8 MONTHS TO PREPARE A USELESS REPORT. IN ALL HONESTY THIS REPORT COULD HAVE TAKEN MORE THAN 15 MINUTES TO PREPARE, AND IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LIST OF QUESTIONS. AND THEY WERE QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED EIGHT MONTHS AGO. WHAT A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS IN OCEANPORT. IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TOOK TO GET THIS REPORT OUT A NOVEL COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT MOUNT RUSHMORE WAS BUILT IN LESS TIME? WELL HERE IT IS……………………………………………………
Memorandum
To: Mayor and Governing Body
CC: Boro Clerk, CFO
From: Ted Ibex
Date: 10/5/2006
Re: Dispatch Services
Review of Purported Potential Savings:
. How realistic/accurate are the estimated cost savings?
• What steps have been taken to verify the county costs?
Have we toured the facility?
Have we interviewed management?
Do we have a proposal from the county?
What do we know about future cost increases?
What do we know about capacity of the county system?
At what level does county have to expand to handle traffic?
What do we know about the qualifications and knowledge of dispatchers to insure timely responses to correct location as
Compared to standards and performance of Oceanport team?
• Discussion and reconciliation of concerns expressed by chiefs memo of 7/16/2006.
• Services currently provided by OP that would most likely terminate if go to county system, i.e., Seniors in Need Program.
• Discussion of weighing welfare and safety of citizens vs. $ saved.
Timely and correct response may save lives.
Experience in Asbury Park.
Experiences within Oceanport.
• Are there alternatives?
• Strong belief in providing services at reasonable cost without sacrifice of welfare and safely of citizens. The question should be put to the voters either by a question on the ballet, requesting information by questionnaire, and possibly holding public hearing on the matter. If taxpayers want services and are willing to pay for them, then perhaps the debate is moot.
STRONG BELIEF? WHERE IS THE STRONG BELIEF COMING FROM? WHAT A SAD REPORT? NO FACTS AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE ABOVE IS THE PRODUCT OF EIGHTS MONTHS WORTH OF HARD WORK..............
# posted by Stop The Corruption @ 2:19 PM
