Steve Gladstone's response to editorial written by Randy Reynolds, published 4/13/08 in the Stamford Advocate.

Dear Editor:

Let me clarify some recent events at the Belltown Volunteer Fire Department.

The Mayor has cut our budget to try to eliminate the Volunteer Fire Department and allow him to take over our district. We cannot live on a budget of $20,000 dollars. He knows a company with no money cannot hold on for very long.

This is a control issue and power play. It has nothing to do with the safety of the people of Belltown. The truth is, since January of this year the people of Belltown have never been safer.

The Belltown Fire Department quietly celebrated our 80th Birthday April 10th, and we have a very dedicated group of well trained and caring firefighters. We are so angry at the lies and misinformation that has recently been spread about the so called "merger", our response times, and our ability to provide the best service to emergencies in Belltown... that we are doing everything within our power to tell our story to anyone who will listen.

Eighty years of Neighbors helping neighbors... yet there was not even a mention in our local newspaper about our anniversary. Because our local newspaper has forgotten our many years of community service, years of saving property and lives. There have been countless photos and stories which featured Belltown firefighters, not only offering help to our district but also mutual aid to Springdale, Glenbrook, Turn of River and the Long Ridge Volunteer departments. And yes, to the Stamford Fire and Rescue district when they need our Tower Ladder, our Rescue or an extra pumper.

The fact that Belltown has trained many of the city firefighters that now fill the paid ranks is rarely mentioned in our local newspaper. But it's true.

Why would a Mayor who had a fully functioning volunteer fire department that was costing less than $170 thousand dollars annually, want to do away with it? Even when we had nine full time paid staff our department only cost the city $900,000. Buthe has taken those men away.

Because the Stamford Fire and Rescue and the City have been fiscally irresponsible, they have too many paid firefighters on their payroll. They are trying to hide this from you by hiding them in the volunteer houses.

The City Charter requires that the Mayor support the Volunteer Fire Department with taxes collected for that purpose, but he is not. The Charter that Dan Malloy ignores is the law, and he is breaking the law.

Placing paid city firefighters round the clock in Belltown is a waste of taxes and will ultimately require tax increases in Belltown to cover over 2 million dollars annually. This for something our membership is already providing for FREE. Our budget includes only operational expenses, insurance, fuel and the most basic costs. Last year our budget was one hundred seventy thousand, no salaries, no vacation time. zip.

We refused to "merge" when Dan Malloy offered us no plan, no design, and no explanation of how anything would work. What responsible company would sign a blank agrement. To punish us he reassigned our men. There was no negotiation. Now he has chosen starvation as the means of ending 80 years of tradition.

Belltowns response time for rescues and fires is far better than the national & state averages for volunteer companies, and our manpower response to calls since January (when we became 100% volunteer) has been better than when we had paid staff around the clock.

So let me sum up. The Mayor does not want a volunteer fire department in Stamford. The Belltown Volunteer Fire Department and those that have already signed our petition (approx. 2000 individual voters from our neighborhoods) have signed supporting the funding of the Belltown Fire Department. And the petition still grows. Our Residents resoundingly say they want the department fully funded and they want the Mayor to stop messing around with their taxes.

This Mayor is already giving away the store to the high rise developers and banks. He has hurt the taxpayers by cutting library hours, crossing guards, teachers aides and police. Now he's cutting us.

A recent argument asking why a Belltown resident should have less coverage than downtown, is a crazy argument. One only need look at the number of fire runs downtown compared to Belltown. Our district hardly demands spending millions on firehouses, staffing and equipment when the number of calls don't justify it. Citizens who want a fully staffed firehouse on every corner would better spend their money on libraries, schools, and transportation then paid men watching TV all day for big salaries.

Finally...if we are really worried about being prudent. It's time we get a new Mayor who understands the value and service of volunteering and what that contribution to Belltown has meant to all, keeping taxes low, and still having help when needed to pump out flooded basements, answering emergency calls and fighting the rare fire.

I encourage those seeking the truth to come visit our station, watch our drills, meet our firefighters, and tell the Mayor to wake up and smell the coffee. He still thinks he can break the law whenever he wants, raise taxes and still be re-elected. Judging by the enthusiasm of those signing our petition he has no idea how angry the people of Stamford are. Please let the Mayor know your feelings and save the Belltown Fire Dept.



Stephen Gladstone, President
Belltown Volunteer Fire Dept.