Fire secretary quits amid concern over $1M truck issue -Orange County

[gamewell45 258]

By John Sullivan

Times Herald-Record

Published: 2:00 AM - 07/10/13

GREENVILLE — The secretary of the Greenville Fire District has quit, protesting the board majority's conduct in its pursuit of a nearly $1 million ladder truck.

"I don't feel that the current chairman or the attorney have the best interest of the people of Greenville in mind, and I cannot be a part of that," wrote Lisa Emanuelle, the fire district secretary, in a resignation letter submitted on June 25.

Emanuelle was referring to Chairman Scott Holowach, who along with Greg Einsfeld and Jack Coogan, and the board's lawyer, Frank Simeone, have been under fire from a public increasingly concerned about the prospect of the town buying a 75-foot-tall ladder truck in a town with no buildings even half that tall.

Holowach took over as board chairman in May after he, Einsfeld and Coogan stripped Commissioner Paul Witkowski of the board leadership for obstructing their attempts to pay for the fire truck.

On June 11, residents and town officials delivered a petition with more than 600 signatures calling for a special referendum on the planned purchase. Just two days later, at a hastily-convened meeting, the commission withdrew a former board approval of the purchase, effectively quashing the call for a referendum.

It was Emanuelle's job to properly notify the public about the June 13 special meeting.

The state's Open Meetings Law requires she post such notice in highly visible public offices and that news media be contacted.

The former secretary said she did neither.

Asked about the proper notice requirement at a Tuesday fire board meeting, Holowach said he personally put up the notices on Town Hall and fire district doors. However he did not notify the press, as that job is relegated to the district's attorney, Scott Dow, from Simeone's firm. "I just assumed he (Dow) did it," Holowach said.

Dow did not respond to emails asking about the media call.

According to a press release drafted by Simeone's firm, the decision by Holowach, Einsfeld and Coogan to cancel the ladder truck purchase stemmed from a realization that the district did not have enough money to pay for it. According to the release, that realization occurred on June 11

Emanuelle, however, contends Witkowski and fire district Treasurer Fran Multari warned the three commissioners about the insufficiency of funds more than a month prior. The three commissioners went forward with resolutions to both transfer money and purchase the ladder truck, anyway, while also removing Witkowski as the fire board chairman, she said.

Emanuelle accused Simeone's firm of siding with the three majority commissioners in the dispute, noting that the law firm wrote the resolution to remove Witkowski from the chairmanship. Dow, who was not at the Tuesday night meeting, did not respond to emailed questions about the allegation.

I think given the way she feels, the resignation was the proper thing to do. Better to resign as opposed to being part of something you cannot fundamentally agree with. I applaud her.

Edited July 13, 2013 by gamewell45

[everybodygoes 331]

I worked with holowach aka 'the champ' we called him that cause he was the furthest thing from it!

[AndyC3J 190]

For those keeping score, Port Jervis (next town over) has a 105' Pierce rear mount stick, which will be replaced within a year with a KME 109' rear mount stick. So, not ALL of the mutual aid rigs are towers.

[Dinosaur 844]

Does posting the meeting notice on the door to the fire "district" (firehouse?) and town hall really constitute "public notice"? After all, the only people going to the firehouse are members and town hall is not usually a hub of activity. LOL

The story stinks of "we want our way and we're going to get it" regardless of what the rules are.

They may really need the truck but this makes it seem like they're trying to get over on their constituents.

[COH Bulldog 82]

Refurb a scope from Pierce = $800K, refurb from Seagrave = $1million

[Riverside80 6]

What brand did Greenville want to go with?

[AndyC3J 190]

No idea. The legal notices did not specify anything about make. The price point they were looking to spend was originally $940K. Downgraded to $925 the second time the notice was published. Pretty sure they were looking to stick with a 75-foot mid mount of some sort.

[bruce 15]

Greenville operates Massapequas old Mack I believe. Nice rig

[38ff 250]

And the hits just keep coming for these guys.... http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130724/NEWS/307240340/-1/NEWS

The only people who will make out of all of this mess are the lawyers when they get paid.