CATO - Three fire departments are vying for contracts with the town of Cato for the upcoming fiscal year. The villages of Cato, Jordan, and Meridian all offered their departments to serve residents in the town.
This follows after a negative situation last year when the Meridian Fire Department's contract was dropped.
The town board will hold a public hearing at its next monthly meeting, Oct. 7, to consider the contracts.
Cato fire chief Larry Wallace said he had met with village trustees and provided the town with a list of estimated expenses, presenting a proposal for contracts. The contracts are renewable one-year contracts.
The Cato fire department contract, if based on the previous year's service, includes a decrease from $1.30 per thousand assessed valuation to $1.09 per thousand. Wallace said this was because last year's budget came in late. Now the department is able to budget for a broader area and has figures including more assessed valuation.
Meridian submitted a letter expressing its interest in getting Meridian Fire District No. 1 back. If the town decides to include Meridian in this year's mix, then Cato's figure would remain the same as last year with no decrease. Meridian's department indicated its intent to rectify issues that came under scrutiny.
It submitted financial records and other materials required by the town.
Amed Perrotta, of the Meridian Fire Department, said his department has just been serving the village of Meridian for the past year.
“So far we have been doing all right,” Perrotta said, adding that fund-raisers have helped the department.
“By no means is fund raising a way to keep the fire department going,” he said.
Perrotta was unable to provide a figure for Meridian's proposed contract with the town of Cato.
The Meridian Volunteer Fire Department contract was voted down last year, 3-2, because of financial, manpower and equipment concerns, impacting the 104-year-old organization. The town contract had provided 75 percent of its income.
Cato's District 1 covers the region north of Meridian to the Seneca River. The Meridian Fire Department, which served this area until January, was replaced by Jordan's.
The board's decision not to contract with the Meridian Fire Department had been a source of heated debate and most likely contributed to the election defeats of two Republican board members, Linda J. Chapman and Ronald L. Dennison, who voted against renewing the contract. New board members Stefan J. House and W. Irving Foster, both Democrats, replaced them.
The Jordan Fire Department has also given the town a written request to continue providing the same services as under the current contract, but requested a three-year agreement.
In other news:
The board also approved its proposed comprehensive plan, 3-2.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
The town board will hold a public hearing at its next monthly meeting, Oct. 7, to consider the contracts.
Cato fire chief Larry Wallace said he had met with village trustees and provided the town with a list of estimated expenses, presenting a proposal for contracts. The contracts are renewable one-year contracts.
The Cato fire department contract, if based on the previous year's service, includes a decrease from $1.30 per thousand assessed valuation to $1.09 per thousand. Wallace said this was because last year's budget came in late. Now the department is able to budget for a broader area and has figures including more assessed valuation.
Meridian submitted a letter expressing its interest in getting Meridian Fire District No. 1 back. If the town decides to include Meridian in this year's mix, then Cato's figure would remain the same as last year with no decrease. Meridian's department indicated its intent to rectify issues that came under scrutiny.
It submitted financial records and other materials required by the town.
Amed Perrotta, of the Meridian Fire Department, said his department has just been serving the village of Meridian for the past year.
“So far we have been doing all right,” Perrotta said, adding that fund-raisers have helped the department.
“By no means is fund raising a way to keep the fire department going,” he said.
Perrotta was unable to provide a figure for Meridian's proposed contract with the town of Cato.
The Meridian Volunteer Fire Department contract was voted down last year, 3-2, because of financial, manpower and equipment concerns, impacting the 104-year-old organization. The town contract had provided 75 percent of its income.
Cato's District 1 covers the region north of Meridian to the Seneca River. The Meridian Fire Department, which served this area until January, was replaced by Jordan's.
The board's decision not to contract with the Meridian Fire Department had been a source of heated debate and most likely contributed to the election defeats of two Republican board members, Linda J. Chapman and Ronald L. Dennison, who voted against renewing the contract. New board members Stefan J. House and W. Irving Foster, both Democrats, replaced them.
The Jordan Fire Department has also given the town a written request to continue providing the same services as under the current contract, but requested a three-year agreement.
In other news:
The board also approved its proposed comprehensive plan, 3-2.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
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