NJ Cops | Page 56

Furby represents corrections as new board member As Corrections Officer Rodney Furby completes his 19th year as a member of Morris County Corrections Local 298, he is set to embark on a new journey with the State PBA Executive Board after being sworn in at the last State Meeting on May 26. “I was at a meeting at the state office for the corrections committee and (State PBA President) Pat (Colligan) and (Executive Vice-President) Marc (Kovar) called me up to their office. I thought I was in trouble,” Furby admitted. “I was a little surprised, excited and very honored that they saw in me what I always thought I had in me; someone that can help and make things better.” Furby decided to get involved in the Local’s affairs back in 2003 when Morris County Corrections’ contract was being renewed. He represented the Local as its State Delegate since 2011. “The best thing you can do is to get involved if you want to make a change,” Furby noted. “It’s usually the hardest thing to get people to do but you can do some good things.” Throughout his time with the Local, the corrections officer worked on his negotiation skills, which he hopes to bring to the table and continue the work current executive board members have put into the pension and benefits program. “We have to try to keep the benefits that we have,” stated Furby. “It’s a hard job and you take a lot of risks.” Furby hopes to follow in the footsteps of his supervisor and former 56 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JUNE 2015 State PBA Board Member Henry Ruiz, who instilled the notion of hard work and passed on knowledge for the new board member to use in his new position as Sergeant-at-Arms. “I feel proud to represent (corrections) and I want to do the best job I can for them,” Furby emphasized. “We do a tough job without a lot of fanfare and I want to try and represent them and make it the best we can.” d