Candidate: New Eyes Needed On Hartsdale Fire District

[SilentShadow 32]

 

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I am Mona Fraitag , and I am running for Hartsdale fire commissioner on Dec. 13 to change the cozy relationship between our Fire Oversight Board and the Fire District.

For decades, the Fire District had hand-selected board commissioners from among fans, friends and family. The result was a board that automatically approves every budget and a fire district that has refused to share basic information to which taxpayers are entitled. Our fire taxes cost almost as much as for police, sanitation, roads, the library, etc. — combined. This is unacceptable.

 

The Fire District’s self-oversight diverted our taxes from what was best for our community and our brave firefighters, to the self-serving interests of an invisible few. My mission is to return the fire district to its rightful owners — the citizens of Hartsdale.

 

Mona Fraitag

 

 

http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/readers/2016/12/06/fraitag-hartsdale-fire-district-letter/95031842/

[GreatPlains588 131]

Typical, running a scare tactic campaign on conjecture and innuendo. 

 

Wait till she see's how much work it really is??

 

I hope she wins....... She won't last.  Seen them come and seen them go........ its a full time job, and in this day and age, no wants it the headaches. 

[nfd2004 750]

Regardless of who takes that job or whether the person fails or succeeds in it, as I look at the cost to this fire department, I have to wonder how is that allowed to happen.

 

 It is stated that this fire department cost is MORE than the police, sanitation, roads, and the library - COMBINED. Something is seriously wrong there. And it seems that this individual is clearly upset with that. I can't say I blame her. I think if she were to fail it would be that despite her best interest, she may run into a brick wall put up by others who would try to resist this change in an effort to defend their own interest.

 

 In many places today, the "Good Ole' Boy System" is still Alive and Well.

[Mdseemann 10]

The Hartsdale Fire district does not cost more than all those other services. It doesn't say that. It says that their tax they pay is the same. The reason for that is only hartsdale residents pay for hartsdale fire as opposed to all the other departments which tax is collected from all the resident of the Town of Greenburgh. Ex: 1 million divided by 20 or 50 million divided by 1,000. Same number paid per person but way bigger budget. 

 

 

[nfd2004 750]

11 minutes ago, Mdseemann said:

The Hartsdale Fire district does not cost more than all those other services. It doesn't say that. It says that their tax they pay is the same. The reason for that is only hartsdale residents pay for hartsdale fire as opposed to all the other departments which tax is collected from all the resident of the Town of Greenburgh. Ex: 1 million divided by 20 or 50 million divided by 1,000. Same number paid per person but way bigger budget. 

 

 

 

 As I read that quote once or twice more, part of the statement that begins with "I am Mona Fraitag", Does it later say: "OUR FIRE TAXES COST ALMOST AS MUCH AS FOR POLICE, SANATATION, ROADS, the LIBRARY ETC -- COMBINED".

 

 She then adds - "THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE".

 

 Let me also ask what she is referring to when she says "The Fire Districts self oversight diverted our taxes from what was best for our community and our brave firefighters, to the self serving interest of an invisible few".

 What does she mean by that ?

 

 In my own mind I automatically picture a place that spends a lot of money on it's fire protection. But more for the purpose of pleasing it's members rather than the people they serve. I could very well be wrong on that though.

 

 

 

[Mdseemann 10]

Oh that's a good one also. She's talking about the 2% money. She's been going after the volunteer company and how they spend it. She believes that it should go to the district to be used in the general fund. Unfortunately she would have to change state law to make that happen as 2% money doesn't belong to the district. And there is no self oversight. There are public meetings and and a public budget vote.

Edited December 7, 2016 by Mdseemann

[nfd2004 750]

Okay, Got it.

 

I was kind of thinking along that way myself. I just needed somebody to put it in simpler terms for me.  

 

 

[GreatPlains588 131]

There is OVERSIGHT, the fire district is required by law to do an independant financial audit every year if the budget is over $300K.

 

See below...

 

https://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/pubs/arm_fds.pdf

 

People just don't understand the relationship of the fire company, fire district and fire department in NYS. 

[nfd2004 750]

Another question if I may.

 

Should a group of separate fire districts have a combined total cost HIGHER than ONE fire department in a similar town ? I ask that because I can NOT really understand why one town would rather have several separate and independently operated fire districts. What would be the leading advantages of operating such a system ?

 

 Not only do people NOT understand as you say, but even firefighters, officers and chiefs don't understand that. I have lived in a town for 40 years that has several separate fire districts and I still don't understand why. As a volunteer firefighter in another town about 75 miles away, there was only ONE Fire Department and that seemed to work very well. There was one boss, one budget, and one set of rules.

[SilentShadow 32]

Here's a letter from the opposing candidate:
 

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I am running for re-election to the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Hartsdale Fire District. As a member of the Board of Fire Commissioners for the Hartsdale Fire District, I would like to dispute several of the facts that appeared in that letter. My challenger has stated that fire taxes cost almost as much as for "police, sanitation, roads, the library, etc.” The cost of the Town services that she lists are 63 percent higher than what it cost to provide fire protection for the Hartsdale Fire District. The town tax rate is offset by many revenues such as sales tax, user fees, licenses and permits, state aid, etc. which are also coming out of the taxpayers’ pockets. The Fire District does not have the ability to generate this additional revenue.

 

She also states that “The Fire District’s self-oversight diverted our taxes from what was best for our community and our brave firefighters, to the self-serving interests of an invisible few.” But there is no provided proof of such accusations. She claims she wants to promote transparency, while her comments are extremely opaque.

 

It is very easy to throw out inflammatory allegations and false statements in an attempt to get yourself elected. It is much harder to serve the residents of the Fire District with honesty, integrity and hard work as I have done for the past 31 years. I have worked to maintain the safety of our residents and our firefighters, while continuing to be fiscally responsible to our taxpayers.

Frances Stanley

 

http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/readers/2016/12/07/stanley-experience-leadership-hartsdale-fire-district/95111914/

[SilentShadow 32]

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Commissioner Frances Stanley has be re-elected to a 5 year term as a member of the Board of Fire Commissioners. Voting was held at Hartsdale Fire Station # 1 on December 13, 2016 from 3pm till 9pm. A thank you goes out to all the participating voters on a record turnout.

Election Results
Total Votes: 931

Frances Stanley: 474
Mona Fraitag: 457

 

 

[Oaks 18]

Over 900 votes for a smaller fire district election.  And the incumbent won by only 17 votes. Those numbers must say something.

Edited December 16, 2016 by Oaks