The school budgets will NOT be voted on in November if this move goes through. The only way that they taxpayers would be able to vote is if the above the 2% cap. If you want to see how INFLATED the salaries for the Fire Commissioners are and how INFLATED their health care packages are just put in an OPRA and see these ludicrous salary and benefit packages. The cost is 5 cents per page. Just a little but of information to anyone out here who did not know this but, Brian Kubell just received a raise from $90,000.00 a year to $100,000.00 in just under a year and don't forget the benefit package that come along with the job.

Kubiel is a prime example of spending gone awry. He's a consumate insider, political hack and way-under-qualified for the ridiculous salary the District 1 Fire Commissioners showered him with. That kind of waste is exactly what candidates in Saturday's election are trying to stop. Hopefully, the voters in both Districts #1 and #2 will realize that we (candidates) are fighting FOR our extremely capable, unpaid and brave volunteer firefighters. They deserve our full support and appreciation.

Mr. Lombardi,
Please don't represent yourself as being supportive of the firefighters of District 2. I have not spoken with one yet that supports your or any of the candidates. District 2 commissioners have done a fabulous job over the years keeping our budget under control. This years budget in District 2 is less than last years and the apparatus that is slated to be replace in the coming years has been properly budgeted and spread over a number of years so that we don't have to bond anything out. Our commissioners get an annual stipend of less than 10 thousand dollars and I believe it is actually 7k, and NONE of the District 2 commissioners take medical benifits. That is not much to give up your time and energy to be on call all hours of the night and day. They are also active firefighters in either Pleasant Plains or Silverton Fire companies, where do the candidates volunteer? No Mr. Lombardi you are not fighting for the volunteers of Fire District 2.

Don you are running for a position on the fire district 2 board yet all of the examples you bring up to why you should be elected have to due with fire district 1. Neither fire company in district 2 supports you and how would you ever expect them to respect you or the other candidates after all the dishonest and misinformation you put out about District 2. You are trying to make it look like District 2 was involved in the December referendum, which they were not, you are trying to make it look like they are politicians, which they are not, they are just VOLUNTEER firefighters who each have over 30 years experience. Don do you or your fellow candidates volunteer for the community which you live in?

This year's Fire Commissioners election is probably one of the most contentious exercises of its nature that I have ever witnessed. With candidates on both sides and in both districts, vying for seats on their respective boards, the campaign was heated, vengeful and malicious. Clearly, there was more than money, fame or status in the community at stake in an 8 hour election, in a firehouse, on a nondescript Saturday in mid-February of 2012. What, I believe, brought out the crowd of taxpayers and voters, firefighters with their spouses and children and other residents of the community, was the excitement in the air, the anticipation and the expectation. Above all of this, however, there was HOPE ... hope for change where change was needed: new fire commissioners with new ideas and approches to problems, breaking with "business as usual" and throwing off the scourge of patronage and cronyism.

You can also take a stroll along rt 35 and see 4 fire houses in 5 miles for each boro and or town. This is part of the NJ gov system that is in place and also the North East. So its not just the rat hole of TR you speak about, I am a proud tax payer of Toms River. The D1 board attempted (poorly) to make 1 fire house down town and thats what caused this up roar.

No, I think I can safely say that it won't be the case, since if my taxes keep rising like they are I cant afford to live here. Today's fire proves that point. 8 firetrucks? 7 fire companies? fire houses 2 block apart? Something stinks here in TR and its not the smoke in the air its the wa$teful spending by the fire department.

Last I checked Billy, we already have 24/7 Paid EMS here in Toms River....or am I just dreaming up those huge ambulances that say Toms River Police Dept EMS on the side of them (and are usually sleeping in a squad house or firehouse, but that is another story all together)

Steve, I thank you for educating me. I apologize for not being educated on a system of the fire service that does not exist anywhere in our area, and is morally questionable. As a member of a fire department I could not in good conscience stand by and watch as someone loses their posessions and home knowing that I could have done something to prevent it. It is not the same as car insurance as you can not stop the accident in the middle of the event and prevent further damage and loss. I

Billy Boy Madison...Do you even know how the billing works? I hope someone will post on here the true facts, the pt does not pay out of pocket but thier insurance company does, what every little piece the town gets, the town gets. Why would you not want a volunteer squad to bill to off set some of our tax payers money. At least the Silverton rigs are on the streets and not collecting dust like some squads. Locally, I think Plumstead and Lacey Fire Depts are billing for auto accidents and house fires, Toms River should do the same - Found money that helps us tax payers out.

FYI:you can save a boat load of $$$$ by turning over dispatch to county dispatch !!!!!

Steve D. you can't expect the county dispatch center to just absorb a couple thousand more calls a year without having to add another dispatcher to their payroll. Do you think they would put out extra payroll without raising the county portion of your taxes?

NO dispatcher @ county 911 makes that kind of money ! This is the end of "HOME RULE"

If you are refering to the $114K salary for the "radio operator" that was printed in the flyer and the rhetoric that is floating around you are misinformed. That is NOT a dispatcher salary that is the cost of the radio repair dept. that takes care of the radios for 30- 40 vehicles as well as the hundreds of portable radios and station radios.
Don't just take what you read for granted, if you really want some answers and information from the board come out to the Open Forum on Thursday night at the East Dover Firehouse at 4PM.

IF Toms River told the TRVFD "go onto County Dispatch,and you can buy those crome rims for the pumper" I bet all of you would throw every dispatcher under the bus in a heart beat!!!!!

Steve I am disappointed, I thought we would be able to have an intelligent discussion. If you are not willing to educate yourself as to what really goes on in the Fire Service and what your taxes are actually being used for, don't waste our time with ignorant statements.
I have been a resident of Toms River for 41 years. I Volunteer my time and energy to give a little back to the community that has been so good to me and my family for so long.
If you have intelligent questions we will be glad to answer them and debate you but lets stop being childish, i deal with that enough at home.

The forum at East Dover Firehouse is at 7pm not 4 pm, oops.

"I WIN"

Does your Chief know your on TR Patch saying all these things?It's hard to tell if your for or against.I never voted in this type of election,until now.Put me and my down for a "NO"....hopefully there is room on the ballot to write"thanks to FF2932"

Steve, my Cheif AND my Commissioners (District 2) know that I am on here writing this stuff. If you paid attention you would know that I am for the budget in District 2. The District 2 budget is actually slightly LOWER than last year so by defeating this years budget you would actualy revert us back to the amount we got last year which is higher. So that seems like a no brainer. The information I have posted in prior replies is simply an explanation of questions that have been raised. I have tried to differentiate District 2 and what we do and what our budget contains. I do not pretend to have all or even any of the answers for the District 1 Board, and in fact agree with some of the opposition to what the have done. Don't be opposed to the budget just because you think you have to vote no to make a statement. Come out to the forum on Thursday at the East Dover Fire Co. and ask questions for yourself, I am against big government and the waste and corruption that goes along with it, but this is not the case in District 2. The budhet is slightly lower than last year, we do not bond out purchases costing the taxpayers even more money, we do not pay a company to write grants for us, all this is done by volunteers. Before you condemn and bash us why don't you come out and volunteer with us and see what we do, we are always looking for new members

i ONLY WISH THAT i COULD VOTE NO TWICE...! subscription fire dept is looking better and better

What exactly would a "subscription fire dept" be?????? If you mean a paid fire department that is just another example of your ignorance. Cherry Hill is comparable in size and demographics to Toms River, they use to have 5 fire districts, they went paid years ago and now have a 20+ million dollar budget, more than twice the budget of our two districts combined.....good idea Steve, that'll show em

you would think a man with all your years in fire service would know what subscription fd is.your to smart for me

Steve, check out this link on your subscription fire department http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/10/04/122193/county-firefighters-subscription/
would you really want a fire department in town that would stand by and not put out a fire in your home because you didn't pay for your subscription??? If the link does not work or you just don't want to look at it, it is an artilicle about a town with a subscription fire depart that stood by and watch the persons house burn to the ground and did nothing to stop it all because they did not pay the subscription...that doesn't sound like the kind of protection I want in my town.

you pay... you get service.Just like car insurence.You buy it before you have an accident.And I get the peace of mind knowing that I get a full service with in 3 min of of calling paid firefighters.I didn't have to Google to find this out..."I'm not a PROBY !!!

Subscription Fire Department? Why not. Just like Health or Life Insurance Insurance... If it brings my taxes down I'm all for it!

This is not a commissioners meeting but a open forum specifically to answer questions from the public. This is set up by the commissioners to set the record straight and get rid of the misinformation that has been thrown out there.
As an example on the District 2 board NONE of the commissioners take insurance benefits fromt he board but are all insured through their jobs. All the sitting commissioners are active volunteers in Pleasant Plains and Silverton Fire companies and have been for decades. They VOLUNTEER hundreds of hours a year, not to mention put their lives on the line when necessary. The District 2 board has managed to keep the taxable portion of the budget level with last year. They have managed to get hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of grants from the federal gov't over the last few years so that they don't need to raise taxes in District 2. Further more the trucks that they want to replace over the next couple of years are 20 years old and no longer meet federal standards. The money for these trucks is not bonded out which costs taxpayers more money, it is properly budgeted over a number years so that the trucks can be paid for, with the trucks that are replaced being sold and the proceeds put back in the budget for the next year. Why would you vote no for a District 2 budget that is actually slightly lower than last year? And why would you not re-elect Joe Brown, Ken Taylor and Tom Mc Cann who have selflessly given decades of dedication.

John, you seem like you have all the answers and know exactly what the town needs and doesn't need in the fire service. I am so glad that you volunteer your time and are willing to risk your life to keep the residents of Toms River safe. Oh wait....

You should have voted YES in the December referendum, they tried to consolidate both buildings by building a new one, BUT IT WAS VOTED DOWN! Get a clue before you post.

This is part of the misinformation from the opponents that want in... because i am in district 2 I don't have all the specifics but it is not a $114K radio operator but a radio repair tech that maintains the radios in all the vehicles as well as the portable radios of all the firehouses in town. I can't argue however with the statement about the administrator.
Part of the problem I have with all this is that noone differentiates the two districts. District 2 is a seperate entitly and does not have the political problems of District 1. Our budget is level with last year and our commissioners are all active firfighters and NOT politicians.
Voting no on the District 2 budget would then put the budget back to last years which is actually a few hundred dollars MORE.

Martin, you are funny. You complain about the commissioners and yet you buddy is the ultimate taker. Haelig gets full life time benefits for his family and him for life at the tune of 30,000 a year for as you say. Going to "one meeting a month" and is not even on the board and is money grabbing full time health benefits for doing nothing all at the tax payers expense. Go tell your buddy to stop sucling on the taxpayers chest.

FF2932,
Who made the decision to try and purchase the properties on Hooper Ave? It is my understanding somebody needed a bailout, is that true?

TRWatch, I am in District 2 and do not have enough knowledge of what went on in District 1 to bring about the special election to give you a faactual answer. That being said it is my understanding that the decision to hold the special election was the commissioners decision. I speaking with the commissioners of District 2, they have not had a special eletion for anything in over a decade becasue they decided a long time ago that it is not appropriate. It is better for the taxpayers to list everything in the annual election. This is one of the problems we are having is getting the people to understand the the two fire districts are seperate entities that work together on certain things when necessary. But the district 1 board operates under a very different philosophy from District 2, which is Pleasant Plains, North Dover, and Silverton sections of Toms River.

Wow I can't believe how uninformed most of you people are about the fire service in the town you live in. First there are two fire districts, Fire District #1 and Fire District #2 (to which I belong), who mostly operate independantly of each other however they do have joint ventures such as the fire dispatchers, fire academy and fire bureau. It is ashame that the failed December referendum has caused such an uproar in Fire District #2 because they were not part nor do they believe in special elections they always wait until February elections. The fire commissioners in District #2 are NOT politicians and have always prided themselves on not being political. The radio operator is a District #1 employee, District #2 only reimburses District #1 hourly for the time he spends repairing radios in District #2. And Im not sure which business administrator you are talking about making $120,000 but I don't believe it is District #2, I won't dispute that she makes a lot of money but she has also been there for 38 years and anyone who has been working somewhere for that long should be making decent money. Lastly, District #2's budget is less this year then it was last year so why would you want to vote NO. A no vote would only revert it back to last years budget which would be higher so if you want to save money then vote YES on the budget. For those who live in District #2 please come to one of the meetings so you can see how open and honest the commissioners in District #2 are.

.....Mr.? ....... as I stated before, firefighters do not want to get caught up in all this political rhetoric we are there for one purpose to help our neighbor. The only reason I even commented in this forum is due to the level of mis-information that is being thrown around in this thread, and that is being mailed out to residents. As I stated before, you want information....go to a commissioners meeting. How may have you been to Mr? .....The forum being held at the East Dover Fire Company is NOT a Commissioner's meeting. It is being sponsered by the East Dover Fire Company to provide people with answers to some of the bogus information being mailed out. ALL the candidates are invited. If they show up fine....if they do not show up they were given an opportunity to do so. If that is not a good enough answer for you than nothing I could say here is going to please you and I would be wasting my time even talking to you about it. ...... Hope to see you at the next District 1 Commissioner's meeting M?. Maybe by then you will remember your name.

It is my understanding that the forum was the idea District 1 Commisioners and they offered their firehouse as a venue. District 2 Commissioners felt that if there was going to be an open forum we should be represented. The fact that it is at a firehouse in either district should not be of any significance, the fact that there will be a forum for people to come out and have thier questions addressed directly from the Commissioners is the important thing in my opinion.

Isn't there a district commissioner meeting of each of the two districts, separate and once a month, as well as one joint commissioners meeting every month? Good question...as wasn't the joint meeting already held on the first or 2nd day of Feb? Burning (excuse the pun) of the midnight oil, pre-election attempt to..............District 2 will be fine, good shape, while District 1, Uh Oh! the facts are in and "you cant change that" although I am sure those absentee ballots will fill (over stuff) that ballot box! ONLY WAY DISTRICT 1 COULD EVER GET OUT FROM UNDER! Hey, that December Referendum...could have used Santa Claus and had that Absentee ballot all gift wrapped with a nice bow and wrapping paper with fire engines on it. Couldnt help myself, and I do apologize!

Mr ? I have made it very clear that I am a firefighter as well as a company officer in District 2. I do not try to answer for anything that pertains district 1, although i have given my opinion and expressed what my understanding of the questions.

Yes...I am a Dist 2 Fire Fighter. However, I live and vote in Dist 1

Mr. ?
Do you read what you write? I clearly made my comment for support of the re-election of the CURRENT Dist 2 commisioners. There is no secret about the recent Dist. 1 issues and I will vote appropriately come Dist. 1 elections.

signed ....DIST 2 FIREFIGHTER, ...DIST 1 HOMEOWNER

Well, finally something helpful. My mistake. First time I have used this tool. Ill pay more attention next time. As I can see you are an expert in this site. Gotta lot of time on your hands, maybe you should join one of our fine Toms River Vol. organizations and contribute were its REALLY needed. Have a nice day:)

Sorry I have been away for a while I have a job that doesn't allow me to sit in front of a computer all day like some people. To refer to my bashing comment that was thrown toward John V who went on the article about a family losing a home and did his "soap box dance" after a family lost their home, and their pets.To many Fire apparatus to many firefighters."VOLUNTEER" Toms River is not a paid department hence why there were so many companies called. It guarantees not only the initial alarm, but also back up for the crews making the initial attack. It also includes a Safety team that in case of an emergency while battling the fire, there is a crew at the ready to try and save the firefighters you or whom ever called to save you or your family or your house "No I think I can safely say that it won't be the case, since if my taxes keep rising like they are I cant afford to live here" Your fire tax is i think 4 cents to every dollar you pay in taxes if 4 cents to every dollar is to much to have (in my opinion) the best fire department in the county please by all means leave Toms River. What happened if a firefighter lost his life? They would for sure have a funeral procession for the honored soul. What? would you get up on your soap box as they were mourning the loss of a Father Brother Son Neighbor Friend and say what the hell are all those fire trucks doing at the funeral home your wasting my money saying good bye to your friend stop that now I'm voting down your budget? smart

And for the misinformation that is a general blanket statement. The mailers that went out have a boat load of misinformation 114,000 for a radio operator makes it seem like a dispatcher which the person is not He is a radio technician who not only works on the town level with trucks portable radios base station radios but also works on the alerting system for the entire town fire/ems wise I also think that he is the one who works on the township police vehicle radios as well so this guy has many duties and if you look up other positions everywhere in the US the guys job is paid the same across the board any where you go and That number is not his straight pay that is his pay plus benefits and possible overtime (if that was his straight pay dang I'm in the wrong business) The office clerk I don't know who that is so I wont touch it but if I was working in a place for over 30 years I would hope my pay was good enough with benefits see and that seems to be a common thing giving you numbers in a mailer without breaking it down like whats straight pay what is it with all the over time they both work and what their benefits are.. Is there a lot of political banter in District 1? Yes, I wont deny what I see but I will tell you what I do see. the Commissioner that is running for re-election in district 1 is running on his own with no real political support He has requested support from district 1 fire companies and received it from 3 out of the 4. (TBC)

You might ask well what about the other company well from my "insider" I have heard that the other company has put there support to the challenger who says he is a firefighter in toms river for 14 years with the records only showing him there for 7 that he is for the budget but every mailer with his name and face on it saying he is not. And that he has not nor never approved said messages to be sent out in his name and that he is already making back door deals for the support of that company by bypassing a company in town (who supports the incumbent) that is due for truck replacement and has been for the last 3 years and give that company who supports him a brand new truck to replace the 1Mil dollar one they have now. The Incumbent of District 1 has over 20 years dedicated to the fire service not only in the town but the state and nationally and has been recognized for his efforts. He has put nothing but the public and the citizens first even if the "political cronies" have not and to punish him for the lack effort from the other board members is a down right shame. All in all I would just like people to not just jump right at it with whatever is given to them in the mail obviously if there a lot of people above which state the information is false there has to be questions asked. Especially! when the person running for election to the commissioners spot has openly denied being involved with any of the mailers going out even though his name and face are plastered all over it.

And don't forget about the Forum This Thursday at 7 at the Volunteer Fire house on Fischer Blvd

..... "very ignorant" ....."actually stupid describes such a comment"..... why because I question why you fail to use a "real" name? ..............Mr.?....really....how childish.......... Ok let's copy and paste one of your comments....."One more...There are 355 volunteers along with the employees and administration of the Districts, yet only three or four of you here commenting......if the so call critics and "bashers" (love that word) were wrong wouldn't this Patch be inundated?" ...... So using your logic from your statement above.....since there are over 95,000 residents in Toms River if all these people thought your opinions were right.......wouldn't the Patch be inundated with people who held the same opinion???? .....So where are they??
At least you are partially correct about one thing......this is not about firefighters vs bashers...it is about simple truths......and the information being distributed by people seeking election to both Boards contains very little truths.........whatever problems your political affiliation causes you to have with the Commissioners, the Mayor, the Administrator, the Council, and the Lawyer are your problems. To tell the citizens to vote NO for the budget because you have a problem with these people is doing a huge disservice to our town and the fire service .....and they are the ones who will suffer in the end because the games being played.

Thats a shame this is going on in the Fire service for these positions