Dear Union City,

Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-5(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.

I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.

I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.

I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.

Records requested:

OPRA REQUEST – EMS POLICIES, BREAK PRACTICES, AND USE OF CITY VEHICLES

Pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), I request copies of the following government records from Union City EMS:
1. Any and all EMS policies, procedures, directives, general orders, memoranda, or communications regarding office personnel taking breaks, including but not limited to breakfast breaks, lunch breaks, and any timekeeping requirements (such as punching in or out for meals), similar to the policies applicable to employees working in City Hall.

2. Any and all EMS policies, procedures, directives, general orders, memoranda, or communications regarding employees riding in or being transported in EMS supervisor vehicles or other city vehicles, including transportation to or from work.
3. Any policies, procedures, or memoranda governing the authorized use of EMS supervisor vehicles, including rules regarding personal use, employee transportation, or travel outside the normal scope of duty.

This request is made in light of ongoing concerns that EMS office personnel along with supervisors may be taking excessively long meal breaks—sometimes reportedly lasting between one and a half to two hours for breakfast or lunch—and that such conduct may be known to or tolerated by EMS leadership.

EMS Chief George Fierro and Administrator Supervisor Jose Gutierrez are aware that Union City EMS supervisors and office personnel go out to eat and take between 1-2 hrs breakfast break and when it's not breakfast it's lunch or sometimes both. EMS Director Capt. Bergbauer when you add all this up; How much time are we looking of miss use time? When you’re supposed to be doing office work and EMS Supervisors should be responding to medical emergencies. Do you even know this? Because if you did and have not done nothing to correct it then you’re also part of the problem. It’s starting to make sense. This has nothing to do with City Hall meeting they have and ride together.

There are also concerns that EMS supervisors may be using city vehicles to transport office personnel to and from their homes, including locations outside Union City, potentially using taxpayer-funded vehicles and fuel for personal transportation.

EMS Chief George Fierro and Administrator Supervisor Jose Gutierrez are aware that supervisors give office personnel rides from home to work. I understand this being done during bad weather but EMS supervisor vehicle has been seen multiple times in the same location....I wonder who lives in North Bergen?.... I wonder what Union City tax payers would think about using city car and fuel to use as an uber vehicle. What would EMS Director Captain Bergbauer do if he knew this? That's right he has no idea….poor guy; Maybe he should take his position more serious. Captain this should be a wake-up call and easy to investigate your a Captain of a great police department, and you should start holding some people accountable; since Chief Fierro does nothing about it and blames everything “on the upstairs” and or “City Hall”. Police Captain this is just the beginning....EMS Administration has lie to you, they only tell you what’s beneficial to them and your falling for it; they don't care about making you look incompetent.

Maybe the Union City Chief of Police should get involve and investigate this!

Given these concerns, the requested policies and records will help determine whether such conduct is permitted, restricted, or in violation of departmental rules.

My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.

Yours faithfully,

Nepotism