ALEXANDER MACINNES
The Record

PASSAIC - Mayor Alex D. Blanco has ordered Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost to demote three fire officers and shift an administrative deputy chief to a tour command -- moves the administration has delayed despite $54,000 in annual savings.

Blanco's spokesman, Keith Furlong, said the mayor ordered the demotions in part because of attention the Herald News and The Record brought to the issue. "In some respects, it's because it was brought to light by the media and because of [The Herald News] coverage," said Keith Furlong. "And, it's the right thing to do."

Trentacost fought for months to keep a structure that results in a domino effect in which three fire officers were promoted to acting positions. He insisted on keeping a deputy chief to perform administrative duties at headquarters and promoted a captain to cover a vacant deputy chief position on a military combat tour. Because that captain is promoted to an acting deputy chief's position, the department must also promote a lieutenant to cover that vacancy, and a firefighter to cover the lieutenant's opening.

Those extra salaries cost taxpayers $1,049 a week, according to city payroll records. Although $54,000 is a fraction of the $52.8 million taxpayers must shoulder this year, Trentacost's fight to save the five-deputy chief structure came just after the city laid off 18 police officers, squeezed salary concessions from firefighters and forced City Hall employees to accept 12 unpaid furlough days.

Trentacost on Thursday said he was waiting to see Blanco's order in writing, but would comply once he has that in hand.

"I obey orders, like anybody else and I will abide by his decision," the chief said.

Furlong said the mayor's directive, which will take effect on Monday, was a way to save the added salary costs.

"In shared sacrifice, nobody is left untouched," he said.

Firefighter union president David Montalvo declined comment on the issue, mainly because this issue unfolded during the tenure of his predecessor, Lawrence Dostanko.

Dostanko had criticized Trentacost for keeping the positions and for adding to the budget during one of the worst financial crises the city has seen. Quoted in a Dec. 17 article, Dostanko blamed city officials for failing to make those cuts, particularly after his union agreed to a pay freeze in July.

"We did what we had to do on July 1, by giving back our 4 percent raises, but why didn't the city do anything?" he asked. "The department did nothing."

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January 14, 2011