Brewer Fire Engine Company sues Monsey Fire District
Lawsuit alleges retaliation against volunteers and claims firefighters were paid as janitors to circumvent civil service law.
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The Brewer Fire Engine Company and several of its members have filed a lawsuit against the Monsey Fire District, accusing the district of violating the First Amendment for retaliating against the company and its volunteer firefighters after they challenged district policies.
The lawsuit was served to fire commissioners Thursday morning before a packed Monsey Fire District meeting, where Brewer members and taxpayers gathered to voice their opposition to the district's recent decisions.
Last month, the district announced plans to sever ties with Brewer Fire Engine Company and instead move forward with the newly formed Monsey Fire Rescue Company and future paid firefighters.
During the public meeting, several residents and longtime members of the fire company criticized the district's actions.
"You need to put it to a vote, for every taxpayer," said Lisa Saltzman.
"Forty-three years I've been in this company and you just destroyed it. Destroyed it. For no reason," Douglas Perry added.
According to the lawsuit, the district retaliated against Brewer and its volunteer members for challenging district policies.
The suit also alleges that the district paid firefighters as janitors in an effort to avoid civil service law.
Brad Pinsky, an attorney representing Brewer Fire Engine Company and the members, said the district's actions unfairly targeted the volunteer organization.
"They are one of the very few volunteer fire departments in the state, which is thriving and not suffering. They have a good community of volunteers, and they [the fire commissioners] got rid of them for no other purpose other than they stuck up against illegal policies and procedures that were implemented to retaliate against them," Pinsky said.
The Monsey Fire District pushed back on the allegations.
"A lot of this, I think, is just noise, and potentially distractions, and the district will continue to focus to improve the fire service in the area," said Yossi Gestetner, of the Monsey Fire District.
Earlier this month, State Supreme Court judge Djinsad Desir issued a limited temporary restraining order (TRO) in Brewer Fire Engine Company No. 1's lawsuit against the Monsey Fire District.
Brewer members became active volunteers again but can still be subject to discipline and suspension by the District.
Pinsky told News 12 that the members do not have gear to respond to incidents even though they are active members once again.
A fire district spokesperson shared that the judge also granted a TRO that the district cannot take retaliatory action against the plaintiffs.
Other temporary restraining orders were rejected ahead of the next proceeding later this month.
