South Brunswick to Abolish Joint Fire Board

The South Brunswick Township Council is looking to abolish the Joint Fire Board after deciding it has outlived its usefulness, according to township officials. The board had been responsible for the hiring and firing of fire marshalls and reviewing budgets for the three fire districts under South Brunswick's previous form of government.

When the township moved from the committee form of government to the township manager form of government in 1999, the board no longer served the same purpose as the manager took over the hiring and firing of township personnel.

"We're looking at a number of boards in town to see if they're no longer functioning the way they were intended," said Mayor Frank Gambatese. "The Joint Fire Board no longer really had any responsibility. So we're looking at several boards to see if they may only be meeting a couple of times a year or if they just dissolved. We sent letters to the various boards to ask their purpose and if they're meeting regularly."

Though the Joint Fire Board will be abolished, Gambatese said it would not remove them from the process for choosing a fire marshall in the future.

"The township manager hires the marshall, but we always let the fire companies know who we're hiring and let them interview them if they want," he said. "The fire companies are in favor of it. We spoke with Kendall Park and Monmouth Junction, and they had no problems with it since they recognize the board no longer functions in the way it was intended."

Council members said at Tuesday night's meeting that the board could always be brought back if the need arises. Councilman John O'Sullivan said the board should've been abolished last year. 

"There won't be any cost savings out of this because the board wasn't paid, it's just a time savings for the members," Gambatese said. "They don't need to have meetings to discuss what's happening in regards to the fire marshall because (current Fire Marshall Alan Laird) attends every meeting anyway and is aware of any problems, so this was a board in name only."

The ordinance to abolish the Joint Fire Board will have a first reading at the council meeting on Dec. 13, and will return for a second reading at the end of January 2012.