Stamford, Conn. Residents Vote Overwhelmingly in Favor of Combined Fire Department

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Stamford voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of a single fire department Tuesday, a critical first step toward the unification of the city's fragmented fire services.

The Nov. 6 ballot's second referendum question asked voters whether the city should revise its charter to create a combined fire department -- with a single fire chief and fire marshal -- encompassing both career and volunteer firefighters. The charter revision also created two assistant fire chief positions, one for career services and one for volunteer services.

Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Associate President Brendan Keatley celebrated the outcome at The Palms, where Democrats gathered to watch the election results come in Tuesday.

"We've expended a lot of time, energy and effort to try and inform people of this issue, which we believe to be an important public safety issue," Keatley said. "We look forward to working with all the stakeholders in the fire service system to deliver a unified fire-service level to the city of Stamford."

Tuesday's vote revamps the city's fire department structure for the first time since the city and town of Stamford consolidated in 1949, but the controversial debate over Stamford's fire services is far from over. Local officials will now propose plans for combining the city's five volunteer districts -- Springdale, Glenbrook, Turn of River, Long Ridge and Belltown -- with the Stamford Fire & Rescue Department.

Chris Repp, a firefighter who spent the day greeting voters at Cloonan Middle School, said he believed voters would approve the change, recognizing the current structure without one chief with overall control of career and volunteer firefighters was hindering the department.

"I think people realize that this is common sense," Repp said as career firefighters gathered at the Piedmont Club in Darien to celebrate the win. "This is going to help immensely in the organization of department and guarantee everyone follows the same set of rules."

Stamford voters approved all nine proposed charter revision questions Tuesday. The changes will take effect after 30 days.

Democratic City Committee Chairman John Mallozzi, who chaired the Board of Representatives' Charter Revision Committee, said he was happy all the measures were approved.

"We feel we have done an outstanding job for Stamford," Mallozzi said. "I'm thrilled the hard work that the Charter Revision Commission and Board of Representatives put in paid off."

The first charter question encompassed 31 miscellaneous changes to the city's constitution. The provisions address a wide range of areas in government such as audits, board and commission appointments, and ordinance approval procedures.

The third charter revision question requires the Water Pollution Control Authority to coordinate with the director of operations and other city departments, and comply with state laws governing wastewater treatment.

The fourth referendum item gave birth to a Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, which will offer guidance to Stamford's land use boards.

The city's Board of Ethics and ethics code were also given a permanent place in Stamford government Tuesday, as voters approved the fifth referendum question.

The sixth charter revision stipulates that the Board of Finance's authority and investigatory powers is limited to fiscal matters.

Approval of the seventh referendum question means elected officials will be limited to service on one elected board at a time, a change that for now only affects city Rep. Polly Rauh, D-6, who won re-election to the Board of Education on Tuesday.

Stamford voters also voted to add a preamble to the charter supporting citizens' legal rights to city records and information, and promoting reasonable access to city officials and employees. It also calls on elected and city officials to comply with the ethics code.

The final item changed the term length for city constables from two to four years. The proposal had appeared on the 2004 ballot, but was rejected.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service