N.Y. recommends changes to fire system

[Beekman 5]

You want this guy in charge of your "County" Fire Department?????

Legislature files contempt of court charge against Steinhaus

By John Davis Poughkeepsie Journal

Seeking to get Fred Knapp, assistant to the Dutchess County Legislature chairman on the payroll, the Legislature and Knapp have filed a contempt of court charge against county executive William Steinhaus and personnel chief Earl Bruno.

The “notice to comply” was filed in county court today.

The legal action was taken to demand Steinhaus and Bruno comply with an April 29 ruling by state Supreme Court judge James Brands that Knapp be put immediately on the payroll.

The ruling by Brands was triggered by a lawsuit filed by Knapp and the Legislature after Steinhaus in December declared a hiring freeze and has refused to pay Knapp this year.

“The county executive is not above the law and we will prevail in our efforts to uphold the charter of our county and the decision of Judge Brands,” said Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins in a written statement Friday.

The Democrats gained control of the Legislature in January following the November elections. Higgins, a Democrat representing Poughkeepsie and Wappinger, was elected chairman.

He appointed Knapp, a former Democratic lawmaker representing the City of Poughkeepsie, to be his assistant.

Steinhaus, a Republican, could not be reached for comment this evening on the announcement, which was issued at 4:56 p.m. by the Legislature via e-mail.

[Beekman 5]

Hey Doc, LOVED the rant! Guys, if you want change, start local. Dutchess County is busy in court and there is a movement in Westcheter to get rid of the County government. Combine that with the EMS situation in Putnam and most people have serious issues with the counties.

Does a town need multiple Districts/Departments? Probably not. One good example of merging is East Fishkill. "4 Companies, 1 Family". Their system works. It could probably work for Fishkill too.

[Guest Mfd]

My home is in the southern part of our fire district. The FD and it's members are top notch, aggresive and experienced and I have worked with them on a regular basis, this post is in NO way a reflection of the FF and their department. However there are two other firehouses, in a different district, physically closer to me and the surrounding area.

My assigned department responds, according to map quest, from 7.05 miles 10 min response or if chosen the shortest distance option, 6.38 miles with a 13 min ride. Conversly the other two houses (different district) are 1.60 miles w/ a 3 min ride and 2.03 miles and a 4 min ride. Simple common sense should prevail here. Some residents in this area can look out the window and see a firehouse but because of how the districts were created and drawn out initially they are part of the district that is further away. How long would you want you or you're family to wait if they needed the FD?

An attempt to creat an IMA (inter municipal agreement) was attempted a few years back only to be rejected by the other districts commissioners. They stated that it was their district and they will take care of it as they see fit. Furthermore the same commissioners after three NO votes on a proposed third firehouse in the district have just maxed the taxes we pay and will just spend the money as a permissive referendum (extremly difficult to defeat) instead of a pubic vote to get what the 5 of them want. So much for our elected officials representing what the people in the district, town county or state want and pay taxes for. Seems to me it should not matter who shows up when someone needs help, red, yellow, white or green trucks. Paid or volunteer as long as the people are competent, motivated and trained.

Currently based upon how the lines are drawn for fire, Town and school districts I am paying Town taxes to one municipality. School to another, but because I don't live in that town we are charged an "out of district" rate for the school. I pay for two libraries, one is funded through town tax the other through school. Our EMS responds from even farther away, but because we are within that district/ response area a physically closer ambulance is not allowed to respond.

If you read the posts from the overturned Town of Greenburgh truck, a lot of folks are questioning why all the MA and additional resources that were on scene/ being used, taking personel and equipment out of the communities that pay for it, everyone seems to be questioning. If we are all going to work together and learn from each to strive to improve and provide a better service/ product to our resident/ consumers we need to stop vying for our own piece of turf perhaps someday you just may need something the other guy's have to help out one of you're residents.

My experience with the county is that anything you need or ask them for is nothing short of a nightmare with the bueracratic pile of paperwork you need to fill out to the horror stories of duplication and sub contractors that need to be called from people that work there.

Perhaps instead of making the monster bigger, county run anything, it is time to get rid of this extra layer of government. CT has no county gov, has way lower taxes in comparison and is still surviving. Sometimes less is more.

Just my two cents

[hudson144 150]

The Vulcan decree- well satisfied in some places. Should be disolved as it mentions within the decree!!!

[Bnechis 3,961]

We should grow to a regionalized service model... not be changed into it by others.

Agreed, thats exactly why the career chief authorized the study and why myself and others have been working so hard at it.

Regionalization is coming, like it or not. But the issue is do we dictate it or do we allow Albany to do it for us?

[gamewell45 258]

Agreed, thats exactly why the career chief authorized the study and why myself and others have been working so hard at it.

Regionalization is coming, like it or not. But the issue is do we dictate it or do we allow Albany to do it for us?

Agreed, it will mostly like happen within the next 10 years or so, and as in most cases in the state, getting anything accomplished by the counties is next to impossible, Albany will be calling the shots. It should be interesting to see IAFF & FASNY (both powerful special interest groups) lobbying the state. Break out the popcorn and beer for this one.