1. We still need an explanation of why the volunteer and paid members will not share facilities and have caused us to build, at the same location, two separate buildings. -Both on cederbridge and Monmouth. We get the feeling that we have to fund two firefighting departments.

2. excellent job Mike. Thanks for all the efforts of the commissioners and the fire fighters. Everyone else please stop trying to make an issue here. We get excellent fire service at a bargain price.

3. Why do they have so much money in the bank?? They have 3.2 million in the bank and collecting only 300 a month interest!

4. #1> i am not sure why the commissioners will not explain. THe two seperate organizations are because of the department of labor. You can not have two organizations doing the same job function under one roof and one operations manager. They need to be split for tax exempt rules as well.

   i do not see anything wrong, its the way the laws in nj are set

5. While I do have tax questions that does not take away from the deep appreciation I have for both Mike and Juan

6. to #4 – then why do we have paid and vol. ems at the Pine street first aid building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7. to #6 and #1 there are two houses done cut and dry. If you want one house now what do you want us to do with the other one.

8. To all those that want to know why there are 2 fire houses next door to each other. The volunteers and paid dept. must have seperate fire houses as per gov regulations even thought they are part of the same fire district. we dont set the laws the division of fire safety sets it. It is not the same as ems who run a 8hr shift the fire dept has 24hr shifts.

9. I cant believe there is such an insane regulation that towns must provide multiple fire houses, it makes no sense and is a joke.

10. to #7, we want the fire department to sell the eigth and Monmouth building ( probably can get 10 million for the property-it’s huge. We can build another one in a better location (something more strategically located) at a fraction of the price, because I’m 100% positive we can find a strategical location, with a real estate value that’s a fraction of the cost. Monmouth and Eigth is center of town, how about county line. There are alot of properties there that nobody wants because it’s now commercial, and nobody desires the residential houses. I’m sure the planning and zonning would approve it as well, since it’s commercial nowadays. It’s also a major roadway!!

11. Presently the fire department puts away a bit of money every year so when the time comes that a new fire truck is needed they will have the money on hand and can pay cash for it.

    So in the future, when the fire department needs a new firetruck, they will bond (take out a loan) for it. Then the town (TAX PAYERS) will have to pay for the cost of the truck PLUS THE INTEREST ON THE BOND (LOAN). The payback might be spread over a longer time but you will pay more in the end.

12. is there a single person here who would volunteer to be a fireman. If not, I’m sorry, but please don’t comment on how it should be run. Next thing the lakewood peanut gallery will be finding ways to save a couple bucks on the military budget because the tax payer pays for that too. Can we have enough humility to admit we haven’t the foggiest clue what a fire dept. needs?

13. Although I can’t see the video because my internet filter blocks out the video, I’m sure they had only smart things to say.

    Therefore, I wholeheartedly support you Mr. Fire Commissioner.

    Thank you for saving lives and property.

14. I can’t believe every development needs a house of worship, it makes no sense just go to one place located within the town.

15. Get a real commitee to run the fire companys. These people are acting sheepishly for a reason. Audit audit audit Those comischiners look enthused and why the same rehearsed statements. Mister comischiners please explain the reason for you having volenteers haveing expensive fire houses and you have payed fire men at there own buildings?

16. First..comischiners is spelled wrong..its Commissioners, Second- The budget was passed and approved by the Township Of Lakewood. YOU can complain about it all you want, what you did was just to show the Volunteers in this town you care less about their safety and more about the budget for operating them. You complain about everything, Money Money Money, that is all we hear..enough already..you defeated the school budget, and that is 40x more than the small fire budget. You are never going to be happy. These volunteers do it for free FOR FREE!!! they don’t make a dime out of this budget, the paid firefighters protect you and respond to your calls, do you thank them..No you complain because you want a firehouse property to build another flipping complex of homes on..When is it enough??

17. If any of the firehouse property was to be sold it wouldn’t make it back on the tax map anyway. so whats the big deal. The big piece of property on Monmouth cant be built on anyway. It a swamp if you know anything about Lakewood you would know that. But who ever were to buy it would built on it and then complain.

18. if you want to build it on County Line, you might as well put it Howell. Do you have a piece of porperty you want ot get rid of? Or are you a developer? And in one breath you say sell it for 10 mil, but in the other you say you can get commercial property at a fraction of the cost, which one is it? And try backing a firetruck into a firehouse on a major roadway, let alone pull out for a call with traffic backed up. It’s bad enough now. Wait until 4 pm today and see what traffic is there, and look at the bottleneck at Clifton, Main, Rt. 9, South Clifton, Hurley, Central, RIver, and then at Madison, County Line, Kennedy, Clifton, and then Squankum, Kennedy, County Line.

19. Enough already with the Fire dept, why don’t those who have some much to say start talking about the new deputy manager and his pay increase (frank edwards did it by himself) also why don’t we start talking about the big yellow buses ( you know courtesy busing millions of dollars) instead of fire trucks

20. Hey #10
    You answered you own question. The firehouse is in the centre of town, just think of all the traffic the truck doesn’t have to navigate through to get to an emergency and it can respond in 4 directions, whereas on county line road it will only respond in 3 directions, so tell us why do YOU want the land, for condos? More condos, more traffic, the better reason it is to leave the firehouse there!!!

21. Hope your house is not one of the ones on fire and not enough firetrucks to respond.

22. Mike & Juan, Thank you and all of Lakewood’s Finest (paid & volunteer) for the great job that you do. All residents of Lakewood Township are in your debt. The men and women that choose to serve in this capacity are the very best, because they choose to put themselves in danger to protect life and property of all Lakewood Residents.

    Here is to you Firefighters that serve us so well. I salute you and am saddened by the budget issue.

    The change in funding for equipment will cost us more, but will reduce taxes now as we transform from a pay as you go to a credit payment plan.

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