NEWBURGH -Before the City of Newburgh can move forward with its plan to merger police and fire dispatching, it will need the approval of the CSEA, the union representing those employees.
CSEA spokeswoman Jessica Ladlee said concerns include that of logistics of a combined operation and the proposed outsourcing of the overnight dispatching.
“Just because something looks good in concept on a budget spreadsheet doesn’t mean it works well as safely in reality and we hope the city will take that into account,” she told Mid-Hudson News.
Mayor Torrance Harvey said he would hope conversion could take place in the first few months of the new year.
The issue of placing dollars before public safety was raised earlier this year when City Manager Todd Venning took one fire truck out of service on the first alarm of a fire. Having to call back a second crew adds response time to a call and places firefighters and civilians in danger, opponents maintain.
