BODY POLITIC

FIRE MARSHALL HAS HEAVY DUTY

In a small town like Atlantic Highlands, most everything gets noticed and residents want answers. So it is that the acquisition of a new SUV for our Fire Marshall has raised some eyebrows among concerned taxpayers. The good news for those that are tracking this latest expense, is that the expenditure was justified and local taxpayers will not be footing the entire bill.

As a starting point, the Fire Marshall is an important job in our town. The current marshall, Martin Hawley, is a long term volunteer in Atlantic Highlands and has proven himself as one of our most dedicated volunteers. Not only is Marty a volunteer fireman for over twenty years, but he is employed by the borough in our water department and has always been available for emergencies both day and night. As the Fire Marshall, Mr. Hawley receives a $3,000 stipend from the borough each year and does not receive any health benefits from that position.

The responsibilites of the Fire Marshall are much different from that of the Fire Chief. According to NJ law, the Fire Marshall is required to inspect every home in the municipality prior to occupancy to make sure that the dwelling adheres to code. By the way, the Marshall has to take courses and be certified by the state before attaining a municipal appointment. In Atlantic Highlands, there are over 600 apartments, in addition to single family homes, and each one must be inspected prior to anyone occupying the apartment or home. Our fire marshall does quite a few inspections in a days work, and the totals are available at borough hall for anyone that is interested.

It is the fees from these inspections that will cover the cost for the new SUV. The Fire Marshall was driving a 1991 station wagon that had seen better days. While Atlantic Highlands is a small town geographically, there is a fair amount of wear and tear on a vehicle that must inspect every new apartment application or new home occupancy. For each of these inspections, a $30 charge is assessed for the inspection and it is that sum, that Mr. Hawley bills for his duties. It should be noted that neither Mr. Hawley nor previous Fire Marshalls have ever asked for a commission for each inspection, which many other towns have permitted.

It is projected that  the cash flow generated from the Fire Marshalls inspection will almost defray the yearly lease for the new SUV. The borough recognized that the old wagon was breaking down after 15 years and received favorable terms for leasing the new vehicle. Each New Jersey town must have a fire marshall, each New Jersey municipality must inspect a dwelling for fire hazards prior to issuing a certificate of occupancy, and each town must recognize that the cost of a Fire Marshall is a legitimate expense. In Atlantic Highlands, we tried to provide our dedicated Fire Marshall with a vehicle that made economic sense for both his job requirement and the taxpayers interest.