Future of the Canandaigua Fire Department

I believe city manager Kay James needs to look elsewhere for cuts!!! How about eliminating the gross over kill of a city police dept, a sherrifs dept. and the state troopers who all converge on Canandaigua like vultures looking to rob citizens with bogus tickets to fill the coffers og the city and town.

She is depending on the volunteers to pick up the slack...all 18 of them. That's what happens when people expect firefighters to do a tough job for free. I wouldn't volunteer there for ANYTHING, and for those that do, I would quit. If Kay doesn't care about the paid guys...she's just laughing behind your back because she thinks the "chump change volly's" will save the day. For free.

Hum whats happends to the citizen of Canandaigua when their home owners insurance goes up due to lack of Fire Services, and how much will it cost to bring on new volunteers up to standards. Yes let's spend a Dollar to save a dime. These new volunteer's would be doing a community service's and still pay for the
fire/ homeowners insurance! What's the point. It seem like their law enforcement services, might be asked to crosstrain into the fire service, and the EMS services, since the Fire Dept is also first responders to all medical emergencies......

ballsak wrote:

She is depending on the volunteers to pick up the slack...all 18 of them. That's what happens when people expect firefighters to do a tough job for free. I wouldn't volunteer there for ANYTHING, and for those that do, I would quit. If Kay doesn't care about the paid guys...she's just laughing behind your back because she thinks the "chump change volly's" will save the day. For free.

It's not even 18! In that active 18, she is including fire police. Although a vital part, they are not true fire fighters. Take 10 off of her 18 and thats about how many volunteers Canandaigua will have.

I think Kay James needs to reevaluate her priorities with Canandaigua. Slashing the amount of fire department personnel is a bad move. But it sounds like she would only understand if her house was on fire, once the cuts were made.

That's usually what these bigwigs think of Fire and Police everywhere. They are very expensive when you don't need them, then are priceless when you do.

I understand that you would do this to help reduce your budget, but is it worth people's public safety. I understand that there are Volunteers but with jobs and other commitments, you may not necessarily get the help needed. I am commenting on this because I have been a volunteer Firefighter/EMT for 25 years.

You must've failed the Civil Service test !!! Don't worry, you can ALWAYS try again....

City Resident wrote:

These FF make 100K a year, plus they get unbelievable benefits. F their union.

100K? No way, your numbers are way off, in fact nearly double the truth.

100k a year. What world are you living in. Most Firefighter in the area make between 40-65K. Yes as you move up the ranks you make more. But a firefighter donen't make 100k. Even with overtime. A cop maybe but not a firefighter. Good luck getting the Vollys to cover the calls that the paid staff did. Cut them untill it your house or your loved one that had the heart attack, and you have to wait for the volly's to get tpo the station and get the truck. Thats if they are not working there job. Look out what you wish for

wow no fire dept man if you all ever had a situation you all would be fubar

Looking at the website http://www.seethroughny.net this is the pay that the firefighter received this year so far.
Bagley, Alan D $83,319.77
Masseth, Corey P $80,365.15
Boock III, Gerald F $79,908.14
Kransler, Bryan H $78,529.76
Loiacono II, Samuel T $78,248.62
Phillips Jr, Donald D $77,733.38
Smith, George S $77,208.84
De Ruyter, Lee F $74,020.80
Bates, Michael N $73,610.96
Snyder, Matthew J $70,982.87
Bement, Ronald J $70,812.24
Harris, Jason A $68,116.44
Hendricks, Michael S $66,057.79
Bennett, Bradley N $63,341.35
Collett, Rockford T $51,717.07
Wharity, Jason C $0.00

CityDweller wrote:

Looking at the website http://www.seethroughny.net this is the pay that the firefighter received this year so far.
Bagley, Alan D $83,319.77
Masseth, Corey P $80,365.15
Boock III, Gerald F $79,908.14
Kransler, Bryan H $78,529.76
Loiacono II, Samuel T $78,248.62
Phillips Jr, Donald D $77,733.38
Smith, George S $77,208.84
De Ruyter, Lee F $74,020.80
Bates, Michael N $73,610.96
Snyder, Matthew J $70,982.87
Bement, Ronald J $70,812.24
Harris, Jason A $68,116.44
Hendricks, Michael S $66,057.79
Bennett, Bradley N $63,341.35
Collett, Rockford T $51,717.07
Wharity, Jason C $0.00

don't forget the paid vacations, retire,emt & medical & other benifits.
I can see why the city is going broke...
Now put the police salaries up there! If I had to make cuts, I would remove the people who just sit in their cars and play solitare on their computers.

CityDweller wrote:

Looking at the website http://www.seethroughny.net this is the pay that the firefighter received this year so far.
Bagley, Alan D $83,319.77
Masseth, Corey P $80,365.15
Boock III, Gerald F $79,908.14
Kransler, Bryan H $78,529.76
Loiacono II, Samuel T $78,248.62
Phillips Jr, Donald D $77,733.38
Smith, George S $77,208.84
De Ruyter, Lee F $74,020.80
Bates, Michael N $73,610.96
Snyder, Matthew J $70,982.87
Bement, Ronald J $70,812.24
Harris, Jason A $68,116.44
Hendricks, Michael S $66,057.79
Bennett, Bradley N $63,341.35
Collett, Rockford T $51,717.07
Wharity, Jason C $0.00

Your numbers include benefits, this is not their actual pay. This website includes insurance and other factors that do not appear as actual take home, spendable income. And lo and behold, your 100K was WAY off!

Canandaigua Don wrote:

I believe city manager Kay James needs to look elsewhere for cuts!!! How about eliminating the gross over kill of a city police dept, a sherrifs dept. and the state troopers who all converge on Canandaigua like vultures looking to rob citizens with bogus tickets to fill the coffers og the city and town.

I agree about the cops! Whenever I visit Canandaigua, the cops have every type of trap imaginable set up, trying to screw people. On S. Main Street, you can only park on the street for an hour. The cops will walk around all day marking tires with yellow chalk. Then they come back an hour later, and if they see the yellow chalk, then obviously the car hasn't moved and they give you a parking ticket. If there isn't any crime to fight, then there is no need for so many useless cops.

wondering wrote:

<quoted text>
Your numbers include benefits, this is not their actual pay. This website includes insurance and other factors that do not appear as actual take home, spendable income. And lo and behold, your 100K was WAY off!

Benefits are still tax payer funded dufus! So when you take into account that fact then yes, the numbers are accurate. And........these figures are not even for the current year, thus you need to factor in the fat cat union contracted benefits increases (health insurance is double digit annually)and guaranteed % in pay increases as well as guaranteed retirement benefit %'s then you have some real meat.

All these tax payer funded jobs need to be re-assessed and brought back into line with the public sector. Soon enough you will start to see the erosion of these jobs since the tax payers will be taxed out, moving out of state or dying off. Unions and lawyers are killing this nation!

Of course tehy don't want the cuts because it would mean job losses. Volunteers do a great job elsewhere why can't they do the same here? We all need to make cuts and make cuts now. It is time we all give up some of the services we got in the past just to ease the tax burden on the taxpayers. The only people who would really be against these kinds of cuts are the people who don't pay taxes and take all the free govt handouts they can get. Do away with all of the social programs, schools can get rid of the sports programs and leave the money for actual education.

When you morons stop believing that the volunteers will "save the day', is when the fog will be lifted. Volly ff's are a growing thing of the past.
How would you like to go to a volunteer doctor ? You know, someone that took a couple of doctor classes and now he's gonna operate on you. How about a volunteer airline pilot. He took a few classes on flying, now hes gonna fly you safely? Well, most volunteers take a few classes, and are "trusted" as being good as a professional...and YOUR Kay James wants you to believe that. Good luck, I'll steer clear of Canandaigua...have fun dealing with all of those rich people and their rich houses...Some of you crybabies are upset at wages ??? Well you pay for what you get.

The firemen's comment that they are only concerned about the safety of the people is bull . The real reason is that they don't want to give up their high paying jobs. If Victor can do the job with an all volunteer group then why cant Canandaigua. You probably don't realize or care that with an increase in property taxes the older seniors will have to cut meds, food and health care just so the firemen can get fatter and the union gets richer. OH! Spencerport - get a life. What goes on here is none of your business. I still support Kay James and the City Council and think they are doing a great job.

Posted by City Councilman Val Fenti on another website ...

The City Managers plan will keep the city and town residents safe. It will at last allow the volunteers to utilize their training and foster an environment to grow their volunteer effort. A major factor in the plan is coordinating the neighboring fire departments in a response plan to more efficiently and effectively utilize their resources. In the end everyone benefits. Unfortunately there will be cut backs in the firefighter staffing. There have been cut backs in other departments also, including 4 officers in the PD over the past two years.

To not do anything would have resulted in a 45% tax increase.

City Fire Fighter Statistics:
1. With the reduction in firefighters, the first year savings is $440,000 reflecting a 13.85% tax savings to homeowners or $113 on an average assessed home of $138,200. Eventually that savings would be 22% or $180.
2. The nearby Pittsford Fire District, a mainly all-volunteer department, serves a population twice that of Canandaiguas district. Their fire district budget is $1.79 million or $61.72 per resident: Canandaiguas 2009 budget $2.46 million or $153.75 per resident. Note: Canandaiguas per resident cost is 250% higher.
3. 70% of all fire districts in the US are all volunteer.
4. When considering compensation, benefits and payments to retirees. Each city fire fighter cost taxpayers over $110,000 per year.
5. The firefighters average compensation, exclusive of benefits, in 2008 was $76,000.
6. Canandaiguas career firefighters compensation is higher than that of other comparable fire districts in New York State. According to the 2003 Firemens Association of the State of New York report, the median wage, benefits, and overtime payment for a full-time firefighter statewide (excluding NYC) was $57,278. Adjusting for inflation, the statewide median would be $69,700 today. The average Canandaigua firefighters comparable compensation is $110,000, 57% higher.
7. In a recent year, fire fighters were paid an average equivalent of 36, 8-hour days they did not work. Those days off were for sick days, Kelley Days and personal business days. Yes, they take personal business days even though they work less than 2 days per week. Vacation days are not included in those numbers.
8. Fire Fighters receive 11 holidays and varying vacation days depending on years of service. Vacation time ranges from 2 weeks after one year to 5 weeks after 16 years.
9. Eight City career fire fighters, there union attorney, and their families live in all volunteer fire districts. They do not pay our high City taxes nor do they share in the cost of their excessive salaries or benefits.
10. Our FD overtime budget in 2008 was $160,000, 2009 it was $120,000. Our Kelley Days, and pay for time off for personal business days, cost taxpayers about $90,000 in 2008. Kelley Days are 3-24 hour days paid to 24 hour shift workers for working over 212 hours in 28 days.
11. 10 of the 14-career firefighters compensation are more than the fire chiefs compensation.
12. Six of the nine management staff and department heads make less than the average City Career firefighter. The City included 90 full time employees, exclusive of firefighters in the 2009 budget. The average career firefighter made more than 87 of them.