Bedford firehouse plan becomes campaign issue

[CG206 29]

Bedford firehouse plan becomes campaign issue

By SEAN GORMAN

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: December 7, 2003)

A controversial plan to build a new Bedford Village firehouse on Route 22 has become a hot topic between two candidates running for fire commissioner.

John Barry, a fire commissioner who is running for a third term, said he's "100 percent" in favor of building the 21,750-square-foot building at Route 22 and South Brook Road, a project that's been estimated to cost about $7.5 million.

He will face Charles Persico, a 38-year-old Bedford Village resident, who is raising concerns about the project's potential costs and location.

"I'm representing an awful lot of people that oppose it (the new firehouse construction), and I think the concerns they've raised are valid concerns," said Persico, vice president of City & Suburban Federal Savings Bank in Yonkers.

But Barry, who has been a member of the department since 1975, said the new building is needed to provide more space for volunteers, adding that the department needs another tanker truck that can't be put in the current building, which is on the Village Green.

"The existing firehouse ... it's getting very cramped for space. The firefighters have to don their gear and 6 to 8 inches behind them, there's large trucks moving out," Barry, a 47-year-old plumber, said Friday. "We have a large need for storage space."

The fire district's proposal is undergoing a review before the Bedford Planning Board, which would have to approve a site plan for the project. The $7.5 million would pay for the land, construction and other costs, such as landscaping, Barry said.

Commissioners want to take a 20-year bond to voters to pay for the project and have estimated it would cost $2.46 per $1,000 of assessed value. Justin Kernan, a fire commissioner, said he wasn't sure when the district planned to take the bond proposal to voters.

For the owner of a home assessed at $84,600, the fire district median, that would come to a $208.12 bill.

Persico said he wants to see fire officials investigate whether they can expand the current building, and said he doesn't think it's appropriate to put it at the Route 22 location, which is just south of the Village Green, in a residential area.

"I just don't think that's the right location for it," Persico said. "I'm certainly in favor of providing any equipment needs that are necessary."

But Barry said the current firehouse location — next to two historic buildings makes it difficult to expand the building.

"It is going to be a little bit of a change. However, diagonally across from the (proposed location) is a large Catholic school," Barry said about the Route 22 site. "Across the street from the southern end of the piece of property is the Verizon phone building. ... It's not all that much out of character."

The plan has sparked heated debate within the community and Fire Department.

A letter from Persico takes aim at plans to move the firehouse to Route 22 and South Brook Road.

"They will tear the heart out of our village, and isolate themselves from village life," the letter states. "It will saddle each of us in this very small district with an immense debt load."

But Chief Andrew Klein, who has said he supports the plan to build the new firehouse, wrote his own letter to district residents urging them to pick Barry, who has been on the five-member commission for 10 years. Klein wrote that the need for "first-rate fire protection and EMS services far outweighs an increase in the fire district tax."

Klein said Friday Barry's firefighting experience makes him the better candidate.

Persico said Friday he plans to be a "civilian representative" on the commission, which oversees a department with about 45 active volunteers.

"I'm better suited at volunteering my expertise in terms of being a fire commissioner," Persico said. "I'm a businessman. I have real estate expertise."

Klein suggested in his letter that Persico had been hand-picked by the Rev. Thomas A. Hughart, the Fire Department's Protestant chaplain who lives across from the proposed firehouse site. Klein wrote that the chaplain's only interest is to keep the firehouse away from his home.

"That's really stretching the truth," said Hughart, the former pastor of the Bedford Presbyterian Church, next to the current firehouse. "We've lived next to the Fire Department before — no problem."

Hughart added that the purpose of Persico's campaign is to "give a voice to the people of the community."

Persico said, "Rev. Hughart has his own opinion, and I have mine. I'm the candidate, not Rev. Hughart."

Fire commissioners serve five-year terms and are not paid. Fire district residents can vote at the firehouse on Village Green from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

[57truck 1]

If you can get your hands on a copy of the Bedford Record-Review, from Friday Dec 5th, theres a big article also on the firehouse vote and fire commissioner vote

[chris498 31]

Does anyone know who won the election in Bedford last night? Did John get re-elected? What will this mean for the new firehouse plans if the other guy wins?

[Fed124 0]

No news yet. I think the County Board of Elections has to certify some voters.

[WAS967 97]

Preliminary word is that Persico won. No verification of that as of yet.