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Council approves firefighter hires, telecommunicator appointment and settlement for fire-code fines
Summary
The council approved five full-time firefighter hires effective May 1 and a part-time telecommunicator trainee; it also approved a settlement with Univest Bank and New Vistas Corporation resolving outstanding fire-code penalties at 348 Kearny Avenue.
The Town of Kearny on April 22 approved Resolution 2 72 appointing five full-time firefighters to the Kearny Fire Department effective May 1, 2025, at the current annual salary of $41,280. Council members listed the new hires by name: Russell Richard, Luis Ureta, Ryan Michaels, Gerald Monroe and Jack Michaels.
The council also approved Resolution 2 73 appointing Damien Holmes as a part-time public safety telecommunicator trainee effective April 28, 2025, at the hourly rate of $20, contingent on successful pre-employment processing.
Officials said the hires come amid retirements and the need to maintain staffing. Councilman Echols said recruiting for telecommunicator positions is especially challenging because the role requires long shifts and the ability to handle high-stress call volumes.
Settlement for fire-code penalties Council approved Resolution 2 74, authorizing a settlement with Univest Bank and New Vistas Corporation for payment of penalties related to fire-code violations at 348 Kearny Avenue (Block 231 Lot 3). Councilman Echols said the violations have been remediated and the settlement represents a partial payment agreement so the property can come into compliance and the matter be closed.
Administrative notes and questions During public comment, council members asked whether federal grant programs such as SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) and AFG (Assistance to Firefighters Grant) were available to support fire staffing. Fire Chief Joe said FEMA funding streams are in flux; he said SAFER had not announced awards this year and that past SAFER-funded positions in the town dated back to roughly 2015. The chief said the department continues to explore grants but that current hires are municipal appointments paid from the town’s budget.
Ending note Council members expressed support for the hires as a means to maintain emergency response levels and directed staff to continue exploring grant options while moving ahead with local recruitment and onboarding.
