Letter to the Editor New London Day The Gardner Lake Volunteer ire Company, Inc. has regretfully been compelled to bring a lawsuit against the Town of Salem in order to be paid the funds allocated by the taxpayers and residents of the Town of Salem, as provided for under the Emergency Services Agreement between Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. and the Town of Salem on February 6, 2006. These funds are needed to operate the ambulance when there are no paid personnel. Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, inc. volunteers have been providing ambulance and emergency services to the community of Salem since 1956. For the ?rst time in our history, our ability to provide that service to Salem and surrounding communities is being threatened and is under attack. First Selectman, Kevin Lyden, has refused to cooperate with Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. in addressing a minor FLSA issue, an issue that was quickly and ef?ciently resolved by the Company in August of 2019 and is further described in the lawsuit filed in Superior Court. Since August of 2019, First Selectman Lyden has refused to pay funds allocated by the taxpayers for operation of the ambulance and emergency services that only Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, inc. is Certi?ed by the State of Connecticut to provide for the Town of Salem. His reasoning for this, is an unsupported concern that the Town of Salem might be responsible for overtime involving two Town employees. This concern was easily resolved by the prompt action of the Company in August of 2019. As a result of First Selectman Lyden?s actions, Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. has been forced to expend it?s own funds to bring this lawsuit, and will soon need to use funds from the sinking fund the Company has set aside for the purchase of a new ambulance pursuant to the MOU of March 2003 with the Town of Salem. In an effort to provide continued services to the residents and visitors of Salem, the Company has been paying the nominal fee to its emergency services volunteers out of their own funds. As a result of First Selectrnan?s Lyden?s failure to pay the funds allocated by the taXpayers and his refusal to make good faith efforts to adopt arrangements necessary to ful?ll the Town of Salem?s obligation to protect the lives and safety of the residents of Salem, First Selectman Lyden has signi?cantly interfered with the ability of the Company to provide the services required of the Town of Salem?s Emergency Response Plan. Further, First Selectman Lyden has been relying on a discredited wage law theory in order to prevent our Fire Chief, James Savalle, from voluinteering on nights and weekends, First Selectman Lyden has denied Family and Medical Leave Act coverage to Chief Savalle and fought against his Worker?s Compensation coverage after Chief Savalle was injured in the line of duty in November of 2019. The actions taken against Chief Savalle and the refusal to cooperate in addressing the wage issue are designed to weaken and interfere with the operation of the Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. This past week, Chief Savalle was disciplined by a suspension without pay, because he provided medical attention to the victim of a serious motor vehicle accident, in the Town of Colchester. Chief Savalle was in his personal vehicle when he came upon a one car roll over accident on his way to-deliver personal protective equipment to assist the Colchester Volunteer Fire Department in their fight against 9. First Selectman Lyden?s unfortunate disregard for public safety, the safety of the residents of the Town of Salem, and its visitors, cannot be permitted to stand. The actions taken against the Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. and against Chief Savalle are a signi?cant threat to the very heart of desperately needed volunteers. We, your neighbors and friends, have invested a lot of time and training, on our own, to help you during some of the worst days or events of your lives. We are asking that the citizens of the Town of Salem please contact First Selectman Lyden and encourage him to do the right thing for the Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. and for the residents and visitors of the Town of Salem. Thank you, The members of the Gardner Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. WE THE UNDERSIGNED MEMBERS SUPPORT THE ATTACHED LETTER TO THE EDITOR. WE THE UNDERSIGNED IVIEIVIBERRS AGREE TO PUBLISHING SAID LETTER IN THE NEWSPAPERS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA April 10, 2020 WW, I EVILIV w- magmas/Cherq/ Phi/0mm Rd?? WW 3'870waELIt .2 x) 67/127? S?v?ag 4/ Job/?1 0:7 WI ot? Liz/?e ?aw/{ft JAIL ?vf 0 WI I I?d/n (Ava QeTe Exp/x ?13/ ?2,41 My], I NWuwd jg?? 8311/ I: WW