A Fire Department of the Borough of Totowa is
hereby established, coextensive with the territorial limits of said
Borough.
The use of any fire apparatus of said Borough
hereafter procured shall be entrusted to the Lincoln Fire Company,
Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Riverview Park Fire Company No. 3, Fire
Rescue Company No. 4 and/or any fire company hereafter organized in
the Borough of Totowa, County of Passaic, State of New Jersey.
[Amended 12-23-2008 by Ord. No. 16-2008]
A.
Voting.
(1)
The election of the Fire Department Chief shall be held as provided
by ordinance at a designated firehouse, determined by the membership
of the Fire Department, on the fourth Tuesday in November. There shall
be two voting sessions with an afternoon session (2:00 p.m. to 4:00
p.m.) and an evening session (6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.).
(2)
An eligible member shall be permitted to vote by absentee ballot
in the event that he is unable to attend either voting session. The
member shall place a paper ballot with the name of the candidate selected
in a plain sealed envelope. That envelope shall also be placed inside
a plain sealed envelope with the name of the eligible member clearly
marked on the outside of the envelope. Absentee ballots shall be collected
by the Captain of the respective Fire Company and shall either be
hand-delivered to the Fire Department Secretary at the Fire Department
officers' meeting held on the third Monday in November, the Fire
Department meeting held on the fourth Monday in November or brought
to either of the two scheduled voting sessions.
B.
Two members from each Fire Company shall represent their respective
Fire Company at such election to act as tellers. A Chairman shall
be appointed from the tellers present at such election who shall be
the judge of said election. The Chairman shall be selected and appointed
by the tellers present prior to the start of the first voting session.
The Chairman, Fire Department Secretary and tellers present shall
ensure that the ballot box is empty prior to the start of the first
voting session, that all keys for the locks are accounted for and
the ballot box is secured to prevent tampering with at the close of
the first voting session. The Fire Department Secretary shall collect
all ballot box keys at the end of the first voting session and redistribute
said ballot box keys to the tellers at the beginning of the second
voting session.
C.
Such election shall be by paper ballot and the candidate receiving
the highest number of votes shall be duly elected. In the event of
a tie vote between the top two candidates, a second election shall
be held on the first Wednesday in December in accordance with the
guidelines set forth above.
D.
Each of the four Fire Company Captains shall provide a poll list
with the names of all eligible voters in their respective companies
to the Fire Department Secretary at the Fire Department officers'
Meeting held on the third Monday in November or the Fire Department
meeting held on the fourth Monday in November. The Fire Department
Secretary shall file a statement of the results of the election with
the Borough Clerk immediately after each election.
E.
A list of all members eligible to vote for the position of Fire Chief
shall be certified by the Board of Chief Officers consisting of the
present Department Chief, past Department Chiefs and present Assistant
Chiefs and posted at each firehouse by October 1 in the year of the
election. A member will be eligible to vote for the position of Department
Fire Chief if he is a Totowa resident at the time of the election
and is either a past Fire Department Chief, has 25 years of service
or has received any portion of the Annual Service Award Program during
the past two calendar years prior to the election. New members shall
be permitted to count their time in fire school towards their eligibility
to vote in lieu of the Annual Service Award Program. A member on sick
leave will be referred to the Board of Chief Officers to determine
their eligibility to vote. Any other situation shall be brought before
the Board of Chief Officers for consideration prior to October 1.
F.
Only one member from each fire company can represent their respective
fire company as a candidate for the position of Department Fire Chief.
The election of the Chief shall be confirmed
by the Borough Council before he assumes office.
In case the Borough Council shall refuse to
confirm the election of any Chief, the Mayor of the Borough and the
four Assistant Chiefs of the companies shall appoint a Chief to hold
office until a Chief is elected by the companies and confirmed by
the Borough Council.
In case of disobedience of any member of the
Department, and the failure of the company of which such person is
a member to properly discipline such member, the Chief shall have
the right to make complaint to the Borough Council, which shall have
the right to hear the same and, if the charges are sustained, may
suspend or expel such member from the Department.
In case any company is not needed at a fire,
it shall be the duty of the Chief to immediately send notice to such
company.
The services rendered by the members of said
Department shall be voluntary to the Borough of Totowa and the residents
thereof.
[Amended 10-14-2003 by Ord. No. 13-2003; 12-23-2008 by Ord. No. 16-2008]
A.
Each and every active volunteer firefighter shall be required to
attend fire drills, meetings and other fire-related duties as established
by the Board of Fire Officers and are further required to take any
training mandated by the State of New Jersey and the federal government
by the end of the calendar year said training is required. Any active
firefighter who fails to comply with the above requirements shall
be removed from the rolls of active volunteer firefighters in the
Borough of Totowa upon a hearing to be conducted by the Board of Fire
Officers.
B.
Line officers must attend a minimum of 60% of all line officer meetings.
This includes scheduled meetings and ad hoc meetings called by the
Fire Chief.
[Added 10-14-2003 by Ord. No. 13-2003; amended 7-12-2016 by Ord. No.
14-2016]
The Fire Board hereby establishes the following
Annual Service Program and point system:
|
1.
|
Participation in Department responses: 50 point
maximum
| ||
|
61% to 100%
|
50 points
| ||
|
51% to 60%
|
40 points
| ||
|
41% to 50%
|
30 points
| ||
|
31% to 40%
|
20 points
| ||
|
21% to 30%
|
10 points
| ||
|
0% to 20%
|
0 points
| ||
|
2.
|
Length of service: 7 point minimum; no maximum
| ||
|
0 to 7 years of service
|
7 points
| ||
|
8 years of service or more
|
1 point for each completed year of service
| ||
|
3.
|
Drills: 20 point maximum
| ||
|
One point per firematic drill
|
Minimum 1 hour drill
| ||
|
4.
|
Attendance at meetings: 20 point maximum
| ||
|
Attendance at any official meeting of the volunteer
fire company or Fire Department
|
2 points per meeting (excludes officer, exempt
and relief association meetings)
| ||
|
5.
|
Parades and funeral participation: 20 point
maximum
| ||
|
Participation in parade
|
5 points
| ||
|
Participation in funeral
|
3 points
| ||
|
Participation in honor guard
|
2 points
| ||
|
Participation in service (wake)
|
1 point
| ||
|
6.
|
Training courses: 25 point maximum
| ||
|
Courses under 20 hours' duration
|
1 point per hour (5 point maximum)
| ||
|
Courses 20 to 45 hours' duration
|
1 point per hour each hour over 20 hours (10
point maximum)
| ||
|
Courses over 45 hours' duration
|
15 points per course
| ||
|
7.
|
Sleep-in (floods, snow conditions, etc.): 20
point maximum
| ||
|
For each full night
|
2 points
| ||
|
8.
|
Elected or appointed positions: 25 point maximum
| ||
|
Line officers: Assistant Engineer, Engineer,
Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief and Ex-Chief
|
25 points
| ||
|
Staff officers or social officers: President,
Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer (Fire Company or Fire Department)
|
25 points
| ||
|
Administrator of the Plan: (Fire Company or
Fire Department)
|
25 points
| ||
|
Ex-Assistant Chief
|
15 points
| ||
|
9.
|
Miscellaneous activities: 15 point maximum
| ||
|
Participation in any activity not otherwise
listed
|
1 point per activity
| ||
|
Total
|
225 point maximum
| ||
[Added 10-14-2003 by Ord. No. 13-2003]
A.
Amount. The maximum amount of annual compensation
shall be $1,800 for each eligible firefighter and was effective with
the payouts for the 2021 program year.
[Amended 12-23-2008 by Ord. No. 16-2008; 3-27-2012 by Ord. No.
03-2012; 12-12-2022 by Ord. No. 13-2022]
(1)
One hundred points and over for the above stated duties, of which
at least 20 points must be department responses: 100% compensation.
This requirement is reduced to 10 points for members with greater
than 30 years of service.
[Amended 7-12-2016 by Ord. No. 14-2016]
(2)
Seventy-five points to 99 points for the above stated duties, of
which at least 20 points must be department responses: 75% compensation.
This requirement is reduced to 10 points for members with greater
than 30 years of service.
[Amended 7-12-2016 by Ord. No. 14-2016]
(3)
Fifty points to 74 points for the above stated duties, of which at
least 20 points must be department responses: 50% compensation. This
requirement is reduced to 10 points for members with greater than
30 years of service.
[Amended 7-12-2016 by Ord. No. 14-2016]
(4)
Zero to 49 points for the above stated duties: zero
compensation.
B.
Sick leave:
[Amended 7-12-2016 by Ord. No. 14-2016]
(1)
Only absences supported by proper documentation from a licensed medical
doctor shall be considered sick leave. Department responses shall
be calculated on alarms that occur when the member is on active duty
not sick leave. All other point calculations shall remain unaffected
by sick leave.
(2)
Annual compensation for members on sick leave shall be pro-rated
as follows:
|
Duration Of Sick Leave
|
Compensation
|
|---|---|
|
181 days or more
|
No compensation
|
|
121 to 180 days
|
50%
|
|
61 to 120 days
|
75%
|
|
0 to 60 days
|
100%
|
C.
Increases. The annual compensation shall be increased annually at
the same percentage rate granted in the annual salary increases to
the Borough of Totowa employees.
[Added 7-12-2016 by Ord.
No. 14-2016]
[Added 10-14-2003 by Ord. No. 13-2003; 12-23-2008 by Ord. No. 16-2008]
A.
A member of the Totowa Fire Department shall become eligible to participate
in the Annual Service Program upon completing one full year of service
and had fulfilled all obligations to become a regular member of the
Totowa Fire Department. If the eligibility date is after the start
date of the current year's program, the member's award will
be prorated by the number of full months the member participated in
the program for that year. Each volunteer firefighter shall be required
to certify under oath that he has satisfied the requirements of the
Annual Service Program and qualified for compensation under the established
point system.
B.
Each Fire Department and Fire Company shall also be required to certify
a list of all volunteer members who have qualified for compensation
under the Annual Service Program. The certified list shall be based
upon the records maintained by each Fire Department and Fire Company
in accordance with the established point system. Each Fire Company
shall post the final numbers for the previous year by January 15.
Members have until February 15 to challenge the points they are awarded.
C.
A committee shall be formed by the Fire Department to administer
the Annual Service Program consisting of the Fire Department Chief,
Fire Department President and up to three members from each Fire Company.
The Committee shall have unrestricted access to all data and information
needed to administer the Annual Service Program.
D.
All issues arising concerning points or compensation awarded to a
member under the Annual Service Program shall be referred to the Annual
Service Program Committee for review as follows:
(1)
The issue is presented to the Annual Service Program Committee by
a Committee member from the affected member's Fire Company.
(2)
The Committee shall decide on how to handle the issue by majority
vote.
(3)
In order to hold a vote, the Fire Department Chief and at least one
Committee member from each Fire Company must be present.
(4)
The decision of the Annual Service Program Committee shall be final.
E.
The Fire Chief shall furnish to the Mayor and Council an annual certification
list, certified under oath, of all active volunteer members who have
qualified for compensation under the Annual Service Program for the
previous year. This list shall be presented to the Mayor and Council
by February 28 each year. The Mayor and Council shall review the annual
certification list furnished by the Fire Chief and posted for at least
30 days for the members to review. The Fire Chief shall provide any
information concerning the annual certification list as required by
the Mayor and Council as part of their review.
F.
Any person who knowingly misrepresents the credit earned by a volunteer
member or knowingly includes an individual or an annual certification
list who is not a qualified active member of a Fire Department or
Fire Company shall be subject to a fine of no less than $100 and no
more than $1,500 for each individual whose credit or status was misrepresented.
[Added 10-14-2003 by Ord. No. 13-2003; 12-23-2008 by Ord. No. 16-2008]
A.
The Borough of Totowa may compensate all qualified volunteer members
of the Borough of Totowa Fire Department with an annual clothing allowance
in the amount of $400. The Fire Chief shall furnish to the Mayor and
Council an annual list of all volunteer members who have qualified
for the annual clothing allowance by November 1 of each year.
B.
An active volunteer firefighter of the Borough of Totowa Fire Department
shall qualify to receive the annual clothing allowance as follows:
