Union rep rebuts cuts to BF Fire

The needs of 3 union men two who live in New Hampshire
to be represented by a powerful union and destroy a
village in the process that is mired in taxes is wrong.

The statements made about one man are misinformed
union rep blames on the trustees as part of cuts have
been going on for decades and the Chief has allowed
this to happen.

We have had 3 men on during the day and at 5pm
they go home and one man has run that station on
weekends and nights until the callmen who are the
backbone and true hero's of the BFFD come in to fill
the void. These callmen are paid $10.00 a night.
What are the union men paid Sixty thousand a year
and overtime added .

What is wrong with this picture and why do we have
a Burlington Fire capt teeling the village what we
can do here in Bellows Falls ????

If somone is killed the scumbag trustees should pay for the funeral.

I'm confused. Three trustees want to slash $85,000 from the fire department's budget.(The other two couldn't even get their own questions answered by their fellow trustees!) The "given" reason is because the taxes are too high...in the next breath one of the trustees says they have ideas for other places they want to spend the money. Which is it? Does their other other plan involve protecting valuable life and property??? What will each taxpayer save?? The bills have already gone out. I vote to save lives.

lets blame the union firefighters for the high taxes... Bright IDEA!!!! Keep talking you doing great!!!!

IN general terms municipalities cannot layoff personnel protected by a bargaining agreement with not cut clauses, but you can generally eliminate positions, provided that the hiring entity does not bring that position back with in a reasonable period of time. Financial hardship must also be proven. Simply because Town meeting appropriates does not mean that the Exectives ( Trustees) do not have the authority to run the organization in the best interest of the taxpayers. The $$$authorization by the voters is a not to exceed figure - or an authorization to spend up to that amount. Otherwise year end "turn backs" to the undesignated fund balance would also be in opposition to the will of the Town Meeting....Ever hear a resident complain that the budget spent less than the appropriation?