Fire District Candidates

This article appeared in the Townsman, December 4 edition

Approximately 70 people interested in the upcoming Woodstock Fire District elections turned out for a meet the candidates forum held at the Woodstock Community Center and sponsored by the Woodstock Democratic Committee. Moderated by town supervisor Jeff Moran, the session got off promptly at 7:00 PM.

Incumbent James Brunner is being challenged by James Hanson for the 5-year term of fire commissioner commencing on Jan. 1, 2009 and ending on Dec. 31, 2013. Steve Dallow, Duncan Wilson and Michael Lourenso are seeking the remaining three-year term for the seat vacated by the death earlier this year of commissioner Billy Van Kleeck.

Incumbent Karen Shultis is being challenged by Judy Peters for the three-year district treasurer seat.

The hour and one half proceeding took place in the complete absence of rancor, and with one exception one had to look closely to find issues truly dividing the candidates, all of who possess strong qualifications for the positions they seek and have histories of volunteerism and involvement in the community.

All the commissioner candidates spoke of the dire state of volunteerism in the fire district, and the specter of huge costs to the tax payer should the fire department become professionalized. The average age of volunteers is past forty years old. All promised to do their best to come up with new approaches to encourage new recruits. "We can't just promise a tee shirt," as Dallow put it. A question from the audience concerned providing affordable housing for volunteers. Brunner thought it as a "great idea," but added it was the town board's responsibility. Lourenso thought it might help, but added that jobs in the area would be necessary as well. Wilson said that a program in Rockland County setting aside affordable housing for fire volunteers was "working excellently." All the candidates were willing to explore the idea.

With the 12% increase in the fire district levy for 2009, almost all of it attributable to the hiring of additional professional paramedics for the ambulance service, there was the question of whether to maintain the service as an arm of the fire district, which cannot charge a fee, or turn it over to the town, which can. Here differences emerged, with Hanson, Dallow and Wilson expressing qualified support to at least study the idea, while Brunner and Lourenso were less enthusiastic. Brunner pointed out that a bill stalled for four years in the New York State legislature if adopted would allow fire districts to charge for ambulance service, and called for its passage. He also pointed out, however, that a property assessed for $350,000 paid approximately $27 a year to maintain the service as it is, and that compared to the $400 now charged for a ride in an ambulance it seemed to him a "good insurance policy." Lourenso, a member of Company 5, which provides the emergency medical response service, said the service was "working fine" and that now was not the time "to throw away all that good training and the dedicated volunteers," and further stated that going to a professional service, even if it charged, would not save a lot of money for the tax payers. Hanson and Lourenso shared concern over the abrupt cancellation of service awards, modest retirement benefits based on years of volunteer service, for the volunteers who had worked for many years in Company 5.

Some questions alluded to tensions said to exist among the five fire companies that make up the district. Company 1, housed in the new facility in Bearsville, is 100% taxpayer funded, while Companies 2 through 5 are housed in facilities owned by the respective companies, who are responsible for their maintenance and improvements. The fire district makes an annual allotment from tax receipts to the companies as "rent" for housing the district's equipment. The companies have made up the difference with fundraisers, ranging from pancake breakfasts to annual bazaars, but lately these endeavors have not been very fruitful. "It takes a lot of pancakes to make $20,000," said Hanson, whose Company four in Zena recently had to make a costly repair to its foundation, and who called for "a new formula" in the distribution of funds to the companies. The commissioners budgeted $9000 to each fire company for the coming year; an increased sum to defray projected higher energy costs. To the question if the candidates could be unbiased toward all the companies in addressing their respective needs, all answered in the affirmative and nodded in agreement with Wilson's pledge "to stop problems before they grow."

A request for more detailed information to be posted on the web concerning the fire district budget met with general approval. Brunner reported that a recent New York State audit of the district's finances "came up good," and that the report was available for inspection. Peters and Shultis both promised to provide as much detail as possible. Brunner pointed out that the commissioners meet the second Thursday on each month (except January) at the Company 1 building, and encouraged the public to attend the sessions.

All the candidates promised to work for more transparency in fire district matters.

The election will be held on December 9 at Company 1 in Bearsville from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. If the unusual meet the candidates forum is any indicator the turnout should be high by fire district election standards.