The June 2 Hackensack City Council meeting was held one day in advance so as not to potentially distract voters seeking to vote in the June 3 primary elections. In fact, several potential voters in attendance at the meeting seemed fully focused on voting on an issue that has caused much consternation: the future of eight city emergency medical technicians (EMTs).

"Why wasn’t this issue brought up to a vote to the city?" said John Taylor, a Hackensack firefighter who is also the vice president of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3172.

"Let the people vote."

Taylor’s union, along with representatives of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2081, is fighting the decision by the City of Hackensack to replace eight civilian EMTs currently under Hackensack Fire Department (HFD) command with workers to be hired by Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) by August. While the question of whether the fate of the eight is ultimately determined at the ballot box in November remains moot, Hackensack City Council meetings have definitely become affairs where voices on both sides of the debate continue to be heard loud and clear.

Administration defends decision; citizens contest it

The controversy over the future of the EMTs stems from the terms of the Feb. 26 agreement between the city administration and HUMC. The terms of the agreement stipulated that the hospital will make a one-time, $1 million payment to the city in exchange for permission to build a new cancer center adjacent to the hospital.

However, the accord also includes the transfer of emergency medical services to HUMC, a move that will result in the layoffs of eight paid city EMT workers currently under HFD command. A targeted transfer date of Aug. 1 has been set in place.

City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono defended the city’s decision at the June 2 meeting, as he has for several months, alluding to the difficult financial state of affairs for all Garden State municipalities as a result of a state budget deficit which stands at close to $32 billion. Lo Iacono also referred to the more personal aspects of making the decision.

"Do you think that I or anybody here wanted to make this decision? … Sadly, it does become a matter of dollars and somehow relieving some of the tax pressure while not losing a service. If we don’t have these layoffs, the likelihood is that we are going to have to lay off at least 12 other people to make up for the same dollars."

Despite the uproar generated by the administration’s decision to lay off the eight EMTs, some Hackensack citizens agree with the move.

"I’ve lived in this town for 40 years, and at most of the City Council meetings that I’ve come to, people have complained about taxes going up," said resident Larry Eisen.

"This council has come up with a way of lowering our taxes and bringing in an extra $1 million … I simply don’t understand what this council has done wrong that they are getting blamed for it. I understand that it’s going to cost the EMTs their jobs, but these are tough times … Nothing in life is guaranteed."

However, resident Stephanie Hellpap noted that in her opinion, one thing that should be guaranteed for the citizens of Hackensack is their security.

"I bring my family to HUMC," she said. "But where will be the accountability be when the hospital takes over and if we’re not happy with the ambulance service? Why can’t we just keep our EMTs? I know that there needs to be budget cuts and that we all need to save money. But I feel secure knowing that if something happened to one of my children, the ambulance will come quickly…I feel like their jobs are worth saving. If this is a lateral move, I can’t see why we are getting rid of those jobs."

Name of BCDO lawyer subject to federal subpoenas raised at meeting

Early in the public comments segment of the meeting, Taylor mentioned the name of attorney Dennis J. Oury.

Late last month, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie subpoenaed records related to a consulting firm, Government Grants Consulting LLC, that Oury, the attorney for the Bergen County Democratic Organization (BCDO), and BCDO chairman Joseph Ferriero shared an interest in. Christie has sent subpoenas to at least eight Bergen County towns and a county government agency requesting information about payments to Oury. Christie’s office has declined comment about the nature of the investigation.

In a previously published report, it was revealed that the Hackensack City Council authorized the hiring of Oury at a May 20 meeting, several days before Christie subpoenaed the records. The Council authorized the hiring of Oury to provide advice on city redevelopment issues for $17,500 a year. However, Lo Iacono stated in a previously published report that the Council resolution passed on May 20 only authorized Oury’s hiring and that he has not been actually retained.

Taylor asked Mayor Jorge Meneses and the council members if Hackensack was one of the towns subpoenaed related to legal questions involving Oury. Lo Iacono replied negatively.

Regardless of any other vote that took place in Hackensack, Taylor held fast to his idea that there should be at least one more.

"If the citizens want the savings and to pay less taxes, let them vote," he said.

"And if they say that they don’t want the EMTs, then the EMTs go, no problem. It’s the United States of America."