Police Chief, Deputy Fire Chief Rehired

At 6 p.m. Friday, First Selectman Gordon Joseloff announced in a news release that he has reappointed Westport Police Chief Alfred R. Fiore and Westport Fire Department Deputy Chief Jonathan Gottfried, after both had retired from their respective departments as of June 1.

Joseloff added that he hopes to announce the reappointment of Westport Fire Chief Christopher Ackley next week, who also retired June 1.

Under "Letters of Appointment," released by Joseloff Friday, Fiore will serve a term that began on Wednesday and will stretch for two years to June 30, 2012. Gottfried will serve a term that began Friday and stretches to June 30, 2012.

The chiefs retired this year due to rising medical insurance costs that would have reduced their pensions. The three have said they would not have retired this year had their pensions not been in jeopardy.

According to pension calculation documents, Fiore will collect a monthly pension of $8,550.88, Ackley will collect a monthly pension of $8,553.59 and Gottfried will collect a monthly pension of $7,900.21.

According to his rehire contract, Fiore also will collect on an annual basis:

• A salary of $106,472
• 15 vacation days
• Six sick days
• A vehicle
• A holiday allowance in the amount of $5,679
• A uniform allowance of $775
• The ability to contribute to the town's 401k plan
• Medical, dental, prescription drug and other health benefits as specified by the Police Pension Fund.

The document says Fiore "will not be entitled to medical, dental, prescription drug and other health benefits on the same basis as other active employees of the town ... or any other benefits the town makes available to other active employees."

According to Gottfried's rehire contract, he also will collect on an annual basis:

• A salary of $98,361
• 15 vacation days
• Six sick days
• A holiday allowance of $4,918
• A uniform allowance of $675
• Eligibility for group life insurance in the amount of $99,000
• Eligibility to contribute to the town's 401k plan
• Medical, dental, prescription drug and other health benefits as specified by the Fire Pension Fund.

The document says Gottfried "will not be entitled to medical, dental, prescription drug and other health benefits on the same basis as other active employees of the town ... or any other benefits the town makes available to other active employees."

Neither Fiore nor Gottfried will be able to collect overtime pay.

According to Joseloff's release, the budget savings to the Town of Westport for each of the positions is at least $54,000 this fiscal year and next, or about $324,000 over the two-year period if all three return.

If new individuals were hired, the additional unbudgeted cost to the town in this fiscal year would be as much $25,000 each, Joseloff said in the release.

As part of the "Letters of Appointment," each of the officers agreed to waive any claims under the state's Health and Hypertension Act. The claims have cost the town as much as $225,000 per individual and more than $2.5 million in total since 1999.

"I am very pleased that these veteran public safety officers will continue to serve the people of Westport," Joseloff said in the release. "They and their leadership have ensured that our town and its residents are among the best protected in the state and nation.

Under the Town Charter, appointment of administrators as well as all town employees is the sole responsibility of the First Selectman, according to the release. Town Attorney Ira Bloom has also said in a previous article that the first selectman is not required to have others review his appointments.

In the weeks since the chiefs' retirement announcement, members of the public and of the Representative Town Meeting have asked for more transparency in the rehiring process of the town's leading emergency services officials.

About 40 people signed a petition submitted to the RTM earlier this month requesting the RTM adopt a "sense of the meeting" resolution that would recommend the town's Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance review the contracts to determine if the chiefs' continued employment is best for the town.

That request was scheduled to be considered at the next RTM meeting on Tuesday. 

RTM moderator Hadley Rose has said if the rehiring process was finalized before the July 20 meeting, the petitioners' request would remain on the agenda unless they withdraw it.