Borough of Edgewater, NJ Article II Reimbursement Program for Volunteer Fire Department and Volunteer First-Aid Squad

[Adopted 12-20-1988 by Ord. No. 907-88 (Ch. 41, Art VA, of the 1975 Code)]

§ 45-19 Standards for reimbursement.

[Amended 2-22-1989 by Ord. No. 912-89; 3-18-2002 by Ord. No. 1229-2002; 10-20-2003 by Ord. No. 1264-2003; 12-17-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-019]

A. Any member of the Edgewater Volunteer Fire Department shall be eligible to receive an additional allowance above and beyond any clothing allowance previously fixed by resolution or ordinance based on responses to fire alarm calls as set forth in the following schedule:

Monthly Percentage of Responses	Time Period	Monthly Stipend Amount
(1 company meeting and 1 company drill must be made in the quarter to receive the stipend)
30% to 44%
	07:00-14:59	$100
	15:00-22:59	$100
	23:00-06:59	$100
45% to 59%
	07:00-14:59	$200
	15:00-22:59	$200
	23:00-06:59	$200
60% to 74%
	07:00-14:59	$300
	15:00-22:59	$300
	23:00-06:59	$300
75% and higher
	07:00-14:59	$400
	15:00-22:59	$400
	23:00-06:59	$400

B. The additional allowance as set forth in Subsection A of this section shall not be applicable to probationary members, who shall be limited to a monthly stipend amount of $100 until such time as the probationary period terminates.

§ 45-20 Payments not to constitute salary.

The payment set forth in § 45-19 of this article shall constitute reimbursement for various expenses which may be incurred by members of the Volunteer Fire Department or Volunteer First-Aid Squad in the faithful performance of their duties and shall not be considered as salary.

§ 45-21 Clothing allowance to be continued.

All members of the Volunteer Fire Department and Volunteer First-Aid Squad shall continue to be entitled to receive such annual clothing allowance as shall be fixed and determined by the Mayor and Council regardless of the number of alarms or calls made or responded to.

§ 45-22 Use of affordable housing unit to preclude participation.

Any member of the Volunteer Fire Department or Volunteer First-Aid Squad who leases, purchases or otherwise occupies an affordable housing unit owned or maintained by the Borough of Edgewater, or any agency or subdivision thereof, shall not be entitled to the reimbursement allowance established pursuant to § 45-19 of this article.

§ 45-23 Verification of attendance; waiver to be executed.

A. The Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department and the Captain of the Volunteer First-Aid Squad shall institute a procedure for verification of attendance which shall be approved annually by the Mayor and Council. Such procedure shall include but shall not be limited to a requirement that each volunteer personally sign a roster after each alarm or call, indicating his/her attendance at such alarm or call, with such signatures to be witnessed by an officer of a company or squad. Each member of the Volunteer Fire Department or Volunteer First-Aid Squad shall maintain on file a specimen of his/her signature, and forms utilized in recording attendance shall be subject to random and periodic audit under the direction of the Borough Clerk.

B. No member of the Volunteer Fire Department or Volunteer First-Aid Squad shall be entitled to any payment hereunder until he/she shall first have executed a waiver to be prepared by the office of the Borough Clerk, which shall provide that the member waives any claim to pension, civil service or employment status of any kind whatsoever as a result of receiving payment under the provisions of this article.

C. An individual who is a member of both the Volunteer Fire Department and Volunteer First Aid Squad shall, when responding to a call, receive credit dependent upon the vehicle or piece of equipment in which such person responded. The foregoing shall not preclude a member of both the Volunteer Fire Department and Volunteer First Aid Squad from receiving a stipend in each such capacity, provided that such person has satisfied the criteria for compensation under § 45-19.

[Added 2-22-1989 by Ord. No. 912-89]

§ 45-24 Payment to be quarterly. [1]

Payments as provided in this article shall be made quarterly and shall be calculated and made within the calendar month immediately following the preceding quarter.

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

§ 45-25 Annual reports to be submitted.

The Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department and the Captain of the Volunteer First-Aid Squad shall annually report on the effect of such payment on the membership in attendance and such other information as may be required by the Mayor and Council concerning the operation of the Volunteer Fire Department and the Volunteer First-Aid Squad.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Original § 41-33.10, Effective date; termination of program, which immediately followed this section, was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).