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Continued Commissioner vote Continued from page A1 only been considered in commuttee and has nout been pre sented publicly. although the public may request to review the proposal under Freedom of Information I aw Bruce Grant has served one full term as commis moner During that time. he said he supported adding a third ambulance. initrating Advanced Lite Support. the replacement of a 30 year old fire truck. an upgrade of emergem \ call communications. and activation of an Iaplorer Youth program for 14 to 18s year old volun Grant also helped write a federal grant proposal to scuute a New geniciator at the department and was instru mental in getting a 30 year old bogler replaced with ener: gy efficient units Grant has served as a firefighter and Emergencs Medn al Toechmuran for 28 years He is also a qualified Hazardous - Matenals hirst Responder CI became an PMT as soon as I joined because I realized that's the most important aspect.\ Grant sard \We do more ambu lame calls than fire «alls ~ A\ a member ot the substation committee. Grant said he doesn t support the project as it was proposed It's not really the night site. but we do own the property. he \It s not worth the money at this point ~ In addition. Grant is anvolved with the bast Northport Chamber ot Commerce. serves as president of the Huntington hire Commussioners. has heen a member of the local Kiwanis Club tor 19 years. and an advisor to the Northport High Sc howl KC) Club tor the pa! 13 years He also coaches youth sports Hegs a htelong East Northport resident He and his wite. Donna. have two «huldren Tim. 114. and Katie. 8 Roger Putnam i~ }%-year active firefighter who reached the rank of senior captaun and was employed by the department as dispatcher until he retired tour years ago \My main goal. if elected to this prestigious commu- nity position, is to lower the annual fire tax.\ he stated in campaign literature Regarding the proposed substation bond issue. Putnam said. \I'm dead against it. I'm com- pletely opposed to any type of construction. I'm con- cerned about senior citizens hvmg on fixed incomes who see a yearly increase in fire tax.\ Other priorities include improving communications systems in-house and on fire apparatus; and increasing training and education for all fire and EMS volunteers in East Northport, he said. Putnam supports the idea of providing incentives to recruit and retain firefighters, and suggested that about 10 percent of a locally proposed low-cost housing devel- opment be reserved for firefighters. \Recruitment and retainment nght now are low. If they stay five years we're lucky,\ he said. Putnam has served as president of the Suffolk County Volunteer Firemen's Association and is involved with the New York State of the Year Commnittce. He has lived in East Northport for 55 years and owns Roger Putnam, Sr. Home Improvements. He and his wife. Lillian. have two grown children, Roger, Jr. and Scott. Voting takes place at the East Northport firehouse at 1 Ninth Avenue from 3 to 9 pm Tuesday, December 13. \.Hd Eaton's Neck The Eaton's Neck Fire Department has two open seats, with Stephen D'Amato running unopposed in his bid for re-election to a full term and with four candidates - Michael Brown. Bran Gorman, Gary Hontz and Al Zelenka - \ying for a one-year. unexpired term Stephen D'Amato is an active 21-year firefighter who was appointed in July to fill one of two commis seats vacated by Phil Archer and Peter Farrell D Amato served as a chief of the Eaton's Neck Fire District between 2000 and 2002 As a member of the Huntington Fire Advisory Board, he advises the Town of Hunungton's chief fire marshal on the creation and enforcement of fire and safety code. D'Amato has lived in the district for 30 years and works as a landscape contractor. He is married to Betty [Y Amato. who is the fire district's secretary. # & # Michael Brown is a active firefighter and paramedic with the Eaton's Neck Fire Department, as well as a certified Amencan Heart Association CPR instructor As a professional paramedic for North Shore Long wand Jewish Systems. Brown said he believes his expertise would serve the Eaton's Neck district well \Over X) pervent of our calls are ambulance,\ Brown said. \Doing this tor a Irving. 1 think 1 have a lot of input on how things should be done out there There's been a lot of talk about a secound ambulance. H it's in the budget I certainly would be in support of that. {[But] I would not put another ambulance on the road and immcrease taxes ~ He said he is generally against increasing fire taxes Brow n is also enthused about a new series of public \good will\ workshops that he proposed the fire district offer \We're goimg to start teaching about CPR and automatic defibrillators to the public at no charge.\ he sad. \You never know when one of them is going to turn around and help somebody.\ Brown and his wife. Niki, have a mne-year-old daughter, Grace. Brian Gorman was not able to be reached for com- ment by press time and no information was provided by the fire district. Gary Hontz is an active 25-year firefighter and served as chief between 2003 and 2004. \I believe I have the ability to address issues we now are experiencing. My goal is to give back to the community the cost-effec- tive savings and values we would all like to experience He said that during his term, he secured $26,000 in grant money that helped the department purchase medi- cal equipment for its ambulance and rescue equipment for its rescue truck. \I think the department should be aggressively pursuing funding like that,\ he said. Hontz works at New York Presbyterian Hospital where he is responsible for contract administration, pro- curement and materials purchasing. He said he believes that his 35 years experience in this field will enable him to guide savings for the district. At Ztienka is a three-year active member of the Eaton's Neck Fire District, as well as a U.S. Navy veter- an and a retired member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. He has lived in Eaton's Neck 17 years. He worked as a New York City civil servant for higher edu- cation for 33 years and is retired as chief administrative supcnntcndent of Queensborough Community College. \As fire commussioner, I will utilize my work skills, educational background, and life experiences to both complhment and enhance the fire department and our community.\ he stated in campaign literature \My main objectives will be to maintain fire safety in our neigh- borhood and remain financially responsible to our res- dents \ Zelenka is marred with two children Voung takes place at Eaton's Neck firehouse at 55 Eaton's Neck Road from 6 to 9 pm December 13 Chief and candidate vow to investigate records leak BY PATRICIA PROVEN Last week, an unconfirmed source released to this newspaper letters detailing disciplinary action against East Northport Fire Department firefighter Roger Putnam in the 1980s and 1990s. The records appear on department letterhead signed by whichever chief was in charge at the ume. The most recent letter provided was dated 1992. During a phone interview on Monday, Putnam, who is running for a commussioner's seat December 13, con firmed the content of the letters. However, he and Fire Chief Bill Giiman said they plan to investigate what they say was an unauthorized leak of personnel records. Putnam sard that his dnving privileges were suspend- ed permanently in 1984 stemming from a department charge that he was driving under the influence. However. Putnam added that this suspension was later lifted. He also sard that, in connection with an alcohol-related mer dent in 1991. he was suspended for 30 days on the con- dition that he receive treatment, which he did. \I went to rehab, 1 realized I had a problem and I haven't had a drink in 16 years,\ Putnam said. He added that his daytime truck-dnving privileges were reinstated in 1992 on the condition of no further misconduct. When asked if the department has lodged any disci- plinary action against Putnam in the past 10 years, East Northport Fire Department Chief Bill Gilman said, \That I can recall? Not that I can recall. I would have to check his personnel file.\ He said that driving emergen- cy vehicles is not a responsibility of a fire commission- er. \A commissioner's relationship to the fire department is to oversee the expenditures of the district budget and other working departments,\ Gilman said. He added, \My concern as chief of the department ... is that this is a private record that somehow made its way out of the department without a freedom of information [request].\ Putnam said, \This is a crime. I'm going to pursue this. I'm going to the ninth degree.\ This newspaper received the information unsolicited and accompanied by a letter to the editor from someone claiming to be an ex-chief of the department who now lives in Florida. The letter was dropped off at the news office, not sent by postal mail, and no return address or phone number was provided. - Attempts to locate and reach the ex-chief were unsuc- cessful. K | GWETHEGIFTOFDANCEFORIHEHOWAYS é ate Lessons, Group Lessons # ’ ' and Practice Parties. 4 Arthur Murray is the right place Hours: Mon. - Fd. 1:30 - 10:00pm - ,* + SofoAppohtrImt 474749 Rte. 347 THE GOOD TIMES BOOKSHOP Est. 1972. Suffolk County's Oldest Antiquarian Bookshop. The Good Times: is Celebrating its Thirty-Third Holiday Season HAPPYBOUDAYS'I‘OAILOFOUR Over 30,000 Titles Rare, Scarce, and Hard-To-Find Books From the 19th Century to the Present smmmumadim Victorian Bindings. Mostsubm Ind “mum Tes. fife 150 East Main St. Port Jefferson Sunday 1 to 5pm mgoodumcsbookshopm
