Articles Township government
Bridgewater's Fire Districts, Rescue Squads and Radio Replacement, Explained
How Bridgewater's four independent fire districts are governed and taxed; the February 2026 district votes as reported; the volunteer rescue squads and the LOSAP award; the county-required radio replacement from the first cost estimate to the $4,205,000 bond and the $2,950,000 Motorola award; the open question of cost sharing; where the figures differ; and what residents can do.
The short version
- Bridgewater’s fire service is run by four fire districts, each a separate government with elected commissioners, a voter-approved budget and its own tax rate. Their 2026 levies total $3,702,553.59.
- Ambulance service comes from four volunteer rescue squads: Martinsville, Bradley Gardens, Finderne and Green Knoll.
- Council members described a Somerset County mandate: agencies on the County’s dispatch system need new radios to keep communicating after January 1. The Council adopted Ordinance #26-10 on July 9, 2026, 5-0: $4,205,000 for radios for police, emergency management, the fire districts, EMS and Public Works. On September 17 it awarded Motorola Solutions up to $2,950,000, 5-0.
- How the radio cost is shared with fire districts that bought radios with their own tax money is still under review.
Four fire districts
Councilman Ring told the Council on February 19 that Bridgewater “is served by four separate fire districts, each operating as its own independent government entity,” and that each district holds its election on the third Saturday in February. Fire district vote-by-mail ballots may not go in the drop box outside the municipal building, he said. On January 8 the Council acknowledged its review of the 2026 salaries of the four Boards of Fire Commissioners (Res. #26-01-08-030, 5-0).
The County abstract lists each district’s tax levy and rate, added to a property’s general tax rate:
| District | Fire company named in news reports | 2026 levy | 2026 rate | 2025 levy | 2025 rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martinsville | $659,512.37 | 0.023 | $645,884.19 | 0.024 |
| 2 | Bradley Gardens | $558,292.81 | 0.063 | $546,197.23 | 0.068 |
| 3 | Green Knoll, with parts of Country Hills and North Branch | $1,739,085.00 | 0.026 | $1,670,671.00 | 0.027 |
| 4 | Finderne | $745,663.41 | 0.041 | $715,262.60 | 0.045 |
TAPinto reported the districts’ total 2026 budgets, which include money not raised by tax, as $663,951.37 (District 1), $1,041,972.81 (District 2), $1,752,085 (District 3: $1,152,085 operating and $600,000 capital) and $1,280,771.41 (District 4). District 2 commissioner Chris Ireland told TAPinto that a November 17, 2025 special election approved an additional $450,000 in the 2026 budget for required radio upgrades.
The February 21, 2026 votes, as reported
LocalWhy has not reviewed the districts’ certified results; TAPinto reported these on March 4, 2026:
- District 1: incumbents James Kalafsky (234) and Tammy Pinchiaroli (225) re-elected; budget passed 228-48; a capital question to replace a 1999 fire engine, up to $1.4 million and not to be spent before the 2027 or 2028 budget, passed 219-57.
- District 2: Chris Ireland (80) and John Marsigliano (76) re-elected; budget passed 69-22; a question raising the annual LOSAP contribution for firefighters passed 79-12.
- District 3: Kevin Driscoll (401) and Edward Daly (347) elected over incumbents Teresa Avin (312) and Carol Holzer (313); budget passed 482-177.
- District 4: incumbents Allen Kurdyla (131) and Sharon Fell (129) re-elected; budget passed 105-37.
Rescue squads
- Robert Albano, a trustee of the Martinsville Rescue Squad, told the Council on January 8 that about 50 volunteers answered over 800 calls in the previous year, and on July 9 that the squad has responded to more than 21,000 calls since 2004.
- The squad’s chief, George Nowakowski, told TAPinto (May 29) that it does not bill patients or insurers, receives “a small stipend from Bridgewater Township,” and relies mainly on an annual fund drive, while fuel, maintenance and ambulance costs have risen.
- On January 22 the Council appointed the members of the EMS Advisory Committee (Timothy Ring, James Edwards, Allen Kurdyla, Robert Albano, Katelyn Sowden and Christopher Ireland), 3-0 with Kirsh and Ring absent, and set staggered terms on March 19, 5-0.
LOSAP
On February 5 the Council approved, 5-0, the final list of volunteer first aid and rescue squad members qualifying for Length of Service Award Program contributions, “$1,557.38 for the year 2025,” from the 2025 LOSAP account (Res. #26-02-05-052). Council President Geiger said the program is required by state law and described “the town’s contribution of just over $40,000” as a small price for the volunteers’ work; Ring said the award increases each year by state formula; Kirsh said the Township should actively support volunteer participation.
The emergency radio replacement
- April 9: Ring reported “a county initiative requiring most police, fire, and EMS agencies to purchase new radios in order to maintain communication after January 1,” and said “the cost for Bridgewater Township is approximately $3.2 million.”
- June 25: introduction, 5-0. Ring said the upgrade “is a Somerset County mandate applicable to all municipalities that utilize the County’s dispatch system.” Council members asked about funding, equipment, lifecycle, maintenance, agency agreements and “equitable cost distribution among the fire districts.” Four residents spoke: Anda Cytroen asked which agencies were covered; Cathy Franco supported Township funding and continued Township ownership; Allen Kurdyla, a fire commissioner, said the amount “was developed over approximately two years through collaboration with all affected agencies”; Robert Albano supported it for the Martinsville squad.
- July 9: Ordinance #26-10 adopted, 5-0. Mayor Moench said changes to the existing system require new equipment, that the upgrade “is not simply a discretionary technology upgrade,” and that the Township and fire districts were buying collectively to reduce costs. Kirsh said the Township would advance the funds, “with grant reimbursement expected afterward.” Kurdyla and Albano spoke in support.
- September 17: Motorola award, 5-0 (Res. #26-09-17-208), up to $2,950,000 under state cooperative pricing contract 25-TELE-132995. Administrator Pappas said the resolution was for about $3 million, that the bond provided $4.2 million, that another resolution may follow, and that the radios are expected in use from January 1. TAPinto reported that Pappas said 15 radios were not in that resolution and put the order at about 335 units.
- October 15: the township’s resolutions record further awards, each 5-0, from the capital fund account for the emergency radio system: Motorola Solutions, up to $332,000 under state contract 25-TELE-132995 (#26-10-15-228), and Wireless Electronics, Inc. of West Berlin, up to $78,000 under state contract 25-TELE-132999 (#26-10-15-229). LocalWhy has not yet reviewed the meeting’s minutes.
Who pays: the cost-sharing question
On September 17 Rand Milton, a member of the North Branch Fire Department and a former fire commissioner, said Fire District No. 3 had already bought radios through its own taxing authority and asked for an equitable allocation of costs among the districts. Kirsh said the Township is focused on obtaining the equipment while addressing equitable allocation, and will keep reviewing cases where districts already bought equipment. TAPinto reported that Kirsh questioned how that would be worked out “so some residents will not be taxed twice.”
Where the records differ
- The bond amount. Ordinance #26-10 appropriates $4,205,000, with $3,994,750 in bonds or notes (title as read into the minutes, June 25 and July 9, and the ordinance itself, adopted July 9 and effective July 29, 2026). TAPinto (July 20) and Patch (July 21) reported it as $4.25 million.
- The radio cost. About $3.2 million (Ring, April 9); $4,205,000 appropriated (July 9); $2,950,000 awarded to Motorola (September 17), described by the Administrator as “approximately $3 million”; further awards of up to $332,000 (Motorola) and $78,000 (Wireless Electronics) (October 15).
- LOSAP. The resolution names $1,557.38 for 2025; Geiger described the Township’s contribution as “just over $40,000.” The minutes do not reconcile the two.
- Election hours. Ring told the Council the polls are open 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.; TAPinto (February 16) reported the February 21 elections as running 2 to 9 p.m.
- District 1 tax amount. TAPinto reported $659,513.37 to be raised by taxation; the County abstract lists District 1’s levy as $659,512.37.
Related items
- Hydrants: on July 9 the Mayor said the volunteer fire chiefs had asked for help with snow around hydrants; Ordinance #26-13 followed. See snow removal.
- First Responders Memorial: Ring said on September 17 that private donations had been raised to begin a memorial to police, EMS and fire personnel “without the use of tax dollars.”
- Police use of the new radios is covered under police.
What residents can do
- Vote in your fire district’s election and budget question on the third Saturday in February, and attend district board meetings.
- Speak in public comment at Township Council meetings, where further radio purchases come as resolutions.
- Corrections to this page can be emailed to info@localwhy.org.