NEWBURGH – Firefighters Local 589 President Brendan Hogan has disputed the claim that acting Newburgh Fire Chief Terry Ahlers saw his salary increase from $86,000 to $230,000 in one year because of overtime.
Hogan said from January 2016 to January 2018, the city refused to pay the chief in his acting capacity as per the city charter and code. Once finally settled, two years of back pay were added to his salary.
Following Monday night’s city council meeting where the city’s financial woes were blamed on fire and police overtime, Hogan expressed his concern to several of the council members.
“I was very upset with their insinuation that the fire department is bankrupting them, that we need to give back to them,” he said. “They have all forgotten already that 10 years ago, the fire department was the only one that made contractual concessions.”
Hogan also said the acting chief is doing the job of chief, deputy chief and assistant chief all at once for $104,000. All of those salaries if three people held the posts, would total $288,000 annually plus benefits and pension contributions, Hogan said.
