WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – The Watertown fire union has announced the candidates it is endorsing in the race for Watertown City Council. We learned more about who the union chose and why.
The relationship between the city of Watertown and the firefighter union has been rocky for years. The two have continued to fight over things like staffing and whether to keep the heavy rescue truck on the road.
And for years, the union has worked without a current contract.
Fire union president Dan Daugherty is looking for things to change “instead of constantly being in a stage of not having a current contract.”
Out of 7 candidates, the union has chosen to support 3.
Lisa Ruggiero and Cliff Olney for the 4-year terms and Patrick Hickey for the 2-year term left vacant former council member Jesse Roshia.
“Those three stood out as being supportive of public safety and kind of moving the city in a new direction,” said Daugherty.
Ruggiero says she feels honored to get the endorsement
“They are city employees like all of the employees across the departments and they should be treated with respect just like we would expect all the other city employees should be treated,” she said.
Cliff Olney says, if elected, he wants to try to resolve the differences that have been ongoing for years.
“You don’t start by selling a heavy rescue truck, which is a needed piece of equipment and then go them and say, hey, let’s talk. You know, that’s not how you start a conversation,” he said.
Hickey says operating the fire department is one of the largest expenses of the city’s budget and, if elected, he would work with the union to “coexist without turmoil.”
Daugherty says no promises have been made by any of these candidates and he looks forward to possibly working with them if elected on November 2.
There are 7 candidates running for council: Lisa Ruggiero; Michelle Capone; Cliff Olney, Ben Shoen, Patrick Hickey, Amy Horton, and write-in candidate Leonard Spaziani.
The Watertown City Council Candidate Forum produced by 7 News will air next Monday on our sister station WNYF Fox 28 at 7 p.m.
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