You can read more about that mandatory fire watch here
Apparently, the Hartford Stadium Authority is going to have to look at other options for staffing the fire watch, such as using a private security firm. The fire watch may be required for an indefinite period of time as the Stadium construction is stalled in limbo since Mayor Luke Bronin threw the contractor, Centerplan, off the project
The Fire sprinkler system and the electronic fire alarm were not operational at the time of Bronin's decision, resulting in Hartford's Fire Marshall requiring the fire watch which has been staffed so far by 3 Hartford firefighters staffing the stadium around the clock 7 days a week.
The projected cost for those overtime services may possibly reach into roughly over $2,000 a day. The problem will most likely be compounded this weekend with the July 4th holiday, as the first priority for staffing is the City's firehouses over a fir watch at the Stadium.
So much for pre-planning by the Stadium Authority and Mayor Bronin's staff.
42 comments:
Bulldoze it and fill dirt back.
Do we really need 3 fire fighters to watch the Stadium? Are you kidding me. What could they possibly do all day?
Here's a thought....have the firefighters forgo their OT!
Patriot,
probably a valid question, but probably a greater question is do we need Darryl Hill and all of the high priced salaries in City Hall and Development Services who are supposed to manage and keep these messes from happening? And isn't there a Stadium Authority in place to provide oversight as well as an owners rep to protect us at a cost of almost a million dollars?
Fire marshall calls dd stadium a city asset which begs the question why is this being treated like a private duty job at overtime rates?
I have it that the Bonding Co. is still not close to rendering is verdict. More delay.
Cause Roger Martin got to take care of his HFD brothers, charging us the taxpayers thousands of $$$ a day. Each and every day.
While they are there, can't those 3 fire fighters use their hoses to water the turf that is in danger due to lack of rain. Or is that additional OT like double tome and a half?
1:12 not in the union contract.
1:12 PM those 3 fire fire fighters will not do ANYTHING extra. NOTHING AT ALL.
More responsibilities more money please.
If you want someone on site to baby sit the stadium for gods sake get the city inspectors in there, create a punch list and hire a constructin crew to work, not sit around waiting for it to catch fire.I'm sure if a problem arises they can dial 911.
Get someting for 2k a day even if its clean up or watering the lawn.
Again people will blame the ff's, the unions but the decision to proceed in this manner was made by politicians and ok'd by Bronin. This is the kind of foolish non productive spending that puts you broke. Hartford smarten up , this isn't a convention center, a shopping mall or other large scale project, its a baseball field, grass, bleachers, couple locker rooms and some lights how hard should it be.
How do you think your ever going to attract business and patrons and get on a level of success like other cities when you can't even build a baseball diamond.
That's right 6:10....And the 56 hour work week that no one but Luke and Reggie want is going to have to be much, much more money. Otherwise you will never divide Local 460. Get ready to pay up Luke we are covered by our current contract until the membership agrees to a new one. We intent to fight your emergent oversight/bankrupt scheme to the bitter end.
9:15am
Common sense will say that you might want to rethink your strategy. One way of dividing your Union is by layoffs. I think it is probably a bluff by the Mayor, but are we really willing to play that game? And as far as your current contract or any subsequent contract, that would probably be rendered null and void by any union busting bankruptcy filing.The only one that would have to approve that filing would be the Governor, by law, not the voters , not the Council and not the Unions that would be most affected (Do you really think Mayor Bronin would have trouble getting that signature?) I know the Unions are being made out to be the problem, I will gladly post any documents that anyone wants to share that would show otherwise, e-mails,memos any offers made to the City
7:44am
Maybe we can assign Fire watch shifts to members of the Hartford Stadium Authority, that would be fitting that they be called upon to be part of the solution since they created the problem. Give I Charles Matthews a flashlight and a bucket of water and send him on Stadium patrol. He can take his son Brian from Development Services with him, maybe a father son bonding experience while on Fire Watch. There are no requirements that the fire watch be conducted by certified firefighters, so maybe we can get the Development Services Director Sean Fitzpatrick to give up a shift and come in from Simsbury and him and Michael Looney can spend a shift walking through the vacant unfinished project. And while we are at it, the Bronin's could take a shift and picnic on the Dunkin Donuts logo cut in the outfield grass.And if we trust Bunker Bob enough to give him access, maybe he and Josh Solomon could share a shift.
The PEOPLE OF HARTFORD, residents of Hartford should be on the watch in the Dunkin Donuts stadium, no need for the already fat salaried fire fighters. Simple and easy. Pay these residents $15/hr., they will be happy-happy and they will do a great job.
HFD costs the city millions of dollars it doesn't have, mainly because of the salaries, many over $100,000 a year, and additional heavy costs for benefits. We just cannot pay this money anymore.
The best solution is a fire department based on mostly volunteers. I'll get you hundreds of people who'll be ready to be trained and become volunteers.
Time to save Hartford from a disastrous financial collapse.
Brookman... if Malloy agrees to any bankruptcy of Hartford he will be the laughing stock of the entire country. What kind of leadership is this in what was once a wealthy state? What happened to the money? Is "Big Dan" gonna admit that he has presided over a failed socialist state...kinda like the Venezula situation? Is Dan counting on a "crooked Hillary" win to cement his future political ambitions. Malloy has continued the path of ruination in this state. Bronin is quickly devastating Hartford. Both are snakes.
1:16pm
We could never , reliably , staff a city the size of Hartford with volunteers. Cities and towns much smaller than Hartford are evolving toward paid departments not to mention that the quality of our fire department directly affects our insurance rates
The residents of hartford are going to "volunteer to be firefighters". They won't even try to get paying jobs. And why bother volunteering when welfare doesn't require you to lift a finger to get their free money.
4:57pm
Generalize much? Not everyone in Hartford is on welfare or not working . Actually many people in Hartford work 2 or 3 jobs to provide for their families
The state take-over is looming for next year. There is little choice. Hartford dose not have enough revenue to cover costs. Union contracts will be abrogated and new agreements will be made. Maybe non-profits will finally have a tax. Churches should play some roll in reve using raising. It will happen. Remember my words. There is no choice.
In other areas rhe state has stepped in and taken control of a municipality but in our case it is ridiculous as the state of CT's finances are a mess and have no credibility to tell anyone else how to run their finances. Again the tax payers state wide will take the hit.
As far as ffs salaries to some they are huge but well in line with narional averages. It is a stressfull and dangerous job and commands those wages.I dont think there are many in the city who could say that when tradgedy struck they didn't get top rate service very quickly.I have lived it and though I have my own complaints that is the fact at the end of the day. 22 yrs on the job, seen a lot of crews and a lot of incidents but never felt we ever made any citizens problem worse, we slways leave people better than we found them.you will never know that directly till tradgedy strikes you.
Remember no matter how many hours we work a week we are paid at straight time. This was negotiated long ago for a large cost saving to the city, correct me if I am wrong but the only union to do so. Dont forget EMS, remember HPD had the first responder EMS duties and the response times and service became so bad the citizens demanded something be done.The HFD 760 union was approached and members voted to accept the EMS duties. That increased the calls for service from HFD 300 percent on average. It has also been the standard to have HFD at your service in 4 minutes or less and I can tell you the Chiefs take that goal seriously and will quickly call a company officer out on it.
In closing you can reduce FD numbers and costs by chopping away
but you will ultimately impact and reduce the services to the citizens.HFD seems to be drawing a lot of heat lately but perhaps we should ask some of our other unions follow HFD's lead and for go time and a half over time.
HFD pensions? 8 percent deducted from each members check every week and the city is supposed to contribute to that investment fund as well, last I new the city is delinquent with their part to a tune of over 5 million dollars.
What would happen if you owed the city 5 million in property tax?
For those of you who don't like the volunteers solution to HFD, go on, keep on paying millions and millions for salaries and many millions more for benefits, money the city doesn't have, and let Hartford's financials drop dead.
Savings and painful cuts must take place in each and every department, definitely with the BOE as well, but we have to stop talking and take action, start with something, anything.
6:28 AM
Any reason why HFD 760 Union own condominium units at the expensive Linden on Main Street?
I totally agree with 1:16pm: Volunteer HFD is a great idea and would work perfectly. You pay the volunteers the required minimum, the volunteers get credit and big tuition breaks in public colleges. Win-win for everyone. Just do it.
1:16 p.m. and 8:38 a.m. Odds are you two are to weak in mind,body and spirit to be a cop or firefighter ,my experience running across haters like you validate that comment. Why don't you two go after the REAL reason why Hartford spends so much on salaries,manpower and equipment ??? I'll say it!!! ITS THE PEOPLE WHO RESIDE THERE! Out of the 28,000 911 calls Hartford fire received last year 22,000 were for BULLS#%T EMS CALLS !!! These people call for things like diarrhea,toothaches,headaches,sprained fingers,fatigue,high blood pressure,EVEN A F#%KING COLD!!!! DO I NEED TO GO ON??? AND YOU SAY FIREFIGHTERS ARE FREELOADERS AND A BURDEN??? The state of CT SPENDS A LITTLE UNDER 3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR GIVING "FREE S#%T TO YOUR NIEGHBORS. GO AFTER THEM FIRST AND THEN YOU MIGHT NOT NEED WHAT YOU TWO CONSIDER A "BLOATED" FIRE DEPT. Oh yea I almost forgot,,,THE FIRES! "YOUR NIEGHBORS " who are subsidized living rent free,drinking free alcohol and forgetting to properly put out their free cigarettes are the cause of most of our fires. You two are big into volunteering? Then give these people a ride to the emergency room and also let them live with you for "free"
10:41 am,
I can't say for sure 100%, but I think their office is in the Linden, so it may be a commercial office space condo.
10:41 am ,Your probably the same guy that DOESN'T care that Govorner DanWillLie Malloy lives in a tricked out mansion on ProspectSt ON YOURS AND MINE DOLLAR,that Disgraced mayor Segarra also has nice digs on Prospect St ,that coaches Auriemma,Ollie,Diaco get paid millions of taxpayer dollars and also live in mansions ,,,NO !!! YOU ,YOU BIG JERK ARE CONCERNED WHERE LOCAL760 HAS THEIR OFFICE!!! Union members pay for that, NOT taxpayers!! SO WHATS YOUR POINT!!!!!!
You could always hire retired firefighters back at a different rate for the Fire watch and reduce the stress on the Department Manning and Budget it's called Interim, filling the gap, any recently retired firefighter would still jump at a chance to serve the City of Hartford Fire Department.
Kevin Ollie does not live in a mansion I know him personally an yes he has earned his salary stop being a hater cry baby KO has done more for the community than you ever will
The Union has purchased the Linden office. Long term much cheaper than renting office space, and renting the Polish Home for regular union meetings. This comes from firefighters paying union dues, none of your business and not your problem.
You think going volunteer is a good thing? You can't get residents to clean or maintain their own homes, they can't keep a job either. If you can convince people who are used to getting nearly everything handed to them for free to risk their lives for free, have at it. You have no clue as to what a firefighter does at a fire, and you are clueless as to what a great FD Hartford has. Everyone has access to top shelf, Class 1 service from HFD while living in or traveling through Hartford. You get what you pay for, you want volunteer ff's? Get used to waiting hours for service like you do for HPD. Get used to no EMS service, and get ready to pay insane insurance premiums.
Be careful what you wish for, once you go volly, paid will never come back.
959pm
I have never even even mentioned Kevin Ollie, not sure where you are getting that from.
@6:15
Any time my family ever needed emergency care, we drove our own to the hospital. I come from a self reliant crowd.
Let me know how self reliant you are if your house catches fire. Or you are trapped in your car after a crash. Or you need CPR. Or Narcan.
But yeah. You drove to the hospital with a minor injury. Like just about everyone else in the world does. Good for you.
Because the membership voted to buy it. Where is your question going? We support our community.
@9:03
For your info, Mr Ignorant, I was once driven to the hospital as a child with blood dripping down my face and back. Later in life, I rushed my father countless times, to the hospital during his asthma attacks. You should like a genuine POS. you are probably the result of insufficient maternal care. More recently, after shattering my elbow in an accident, I got a lift to the hospital with out you blood suckers milking the system. Kiss my butt.
More self reliance across the board would be good especially in the area of paying your own way and not looking for "assistance" in every endeavor. But cutting the HFD or any department will not make Hartford better in the long run.
Now those that profess to have high levels of education and leaderdhip what have you done for me lately.Hartford needs a plan and direction that will attract many people and ultimately commerce to bring economic stability.
The one thing Hartford has and it is grossly undeveloped is the river front.
People love the water, in fact they are drawn to it. We have " River Front Recapture" but as far as I see a few individuals have csptured a pay check for 30 yrs and built a boat house for trinity along the way.
Now I know the project I propose will take a lot of money and a hell of a lot of effort to convince enviromentalists and EPA types but isn't that where the politicians and the so called "educated" are supposed to excell?
Develop all down that river bank
Restaurants, bars, food court, docks, casino if you must, ice cream,movie theatre indoor or outdoor, accessible by rail, bus, foot, shuttle. Possibilities are almost endless. Create a lot of construction jobs and also a lot of full tine jobs later. The Highway is not even a factor as far as access with todays technology and engineering. Constitution Plaza didn't save the city in the late 60's, The Civic Center, The Convention Center, The Stadium, none worked long term. A true recapture of the river front would work well with some of the other attractions already in place. Some true really smart people are what Hartford needs to bring in the right investors and come up with a good sound plan none the likes of a Do No or Center Plan.
A lot of this might be seasonal but many hot spots thrive with seasonal commerce. So Luke you can cut away in the end you will have no support staff and still be broke. You have to rain in the spending in the interim, we get it but without a real long term plan you will be just another guy who steered the ship farther onto the rocks. Its a big job, but you did ask for it.
There's lawn sprinklers.. they just watch the grass get water and look at each other.
City inspector don't do nothing neither.. probably more likely don't nothing because they were unqualified hired because they had a family member that works for the city. Positions through the city is about who you have as a family not what your really qualified for. How people agree with that because it's the truth.
Maybe the City of Hartford should hire people from out the city. They might just take care the city much better then employees who work for city. Majority of city employees are kurupt and don't know a damn thing about what they position is about. The only employees that really do there job for the city are mainly the Hartford Police officers. I give them credit 100%
Maybe the City of Hartford should hire people from out the city. They might just take care the city much better then employees who work for city. Majority of city employees are kurupt and don't know a damn thing about what they position is about. The only employees that really do there job for the city are mainly the Hartford Police officers. I give them credit 100%
I also know KO personally and KO truly hasn't done much for the community. Sorry KO but I have to put you out there. You really haven't done much.
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