Notice of Annual Election: Salisbury Mills Fire District

NOTICE OF ANNUAL ELECTION
SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT
 

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Annual Election of the Salisbury Mills Fire District will take place on December 10, 2019, between the hours of 6:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. at the Mt. Lodge Firehouse, 361 Mt. Lodge Road, Monroe, New York and at the Salisbury Mills Firehouse located at 2128 Route 94, Salisbury Mills, New York for the following purposes:

To elect one (1) Fire District Commissioner for a five (5) year term commencing January 1, 2020 and ending December 31, 2024; and

To vote upon the following proposition:

PROPOSITION

FOR SUBMISSION TO ELECTORS OF THE SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT

REFERENDUM ON THE AMENDMENT OF THE SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER MEMBERS OF THE 
SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DEPARTMENT

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 AUTHORIZING, PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 11-A OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, A PUBLIC REFERENDUM OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS OF THE SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT. THE REFERENDUM SEEKS APPROVAL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED RESOLUTION TO  AMEND THE DEFINED BENEFIT SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 1998.  THE SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT ADMINISTERS THE PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER MEMBERS OF THE SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IF APPROVED, THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2020 AND, 

•    LOWER THE ENTITLEMENT AGE FROM AGE 65 TO AGE 60, AND
•    INCREASE THE MONTHLY SERVICE AWARD PAYMENTS BEGINNING AT THE  ENTITLEMENT AGE FROM $20 TO $30 FOR EACH SERVICE CREDIT EARNED AFTER 2019, AND
•    WOULD INCREASE THE YEARS OF SERVICE CREDIT THAT CAN BE EARNED BY A VOLUNTEER UNDER THE PROGRAM FROM THIRTY (30) TO THIRTY-FIVE (35). 
•    WOULD ALLOW THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF THE SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT TO AMEND, REVISE OR OTHERWISE CHANGE THE POINT SYSTEM, PROSPECTIVELY ONLY, UNDER WHICH A YEAR OF SERVICE CREDIT IS EARNED.

THE AVERAGE ANNUAL COST OF THE CURRENT PROGRAM FOR 2017-2019 HAS BEEN ABOUT $84,000 ($770 PER PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER) WHICH INCLUDES THE COST OF ADMINISTRATION OF ABOUT $7,000 PER YEAR. THE ANNUAL COST OF THE AMENDED PROGRAM  FOR CURRENT VOLUNTEERS IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $220,000 ($1,960 PER PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER). THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE IN ADMINISTRATION FEES AS A RESULT OF THIS AMENDMENT.  THE FAILURE OF THE AMENDMENT TO BE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS OF THE SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT WILL IN NO WAY AFFECT THE PROVISIONS OF THE SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM PRESENTLY IN EFFECT.

THEREFORE, SHALL THE STATED RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM BE APPROVED?

All residents of the Salisbury Mills Fire District, who are duly registered to vote with the Orange County Board of Elections on or before November 18, 2019 shall be entitled to vote at this election.

Any person desiring to have his or her name appear on the ballot for the above office must have filed a petition signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified electors of the Fire District, with the Secretary of the Fire District, not later than November 20, 2019.  

PAUL WALL, SECRETARY
SALISBURY MILLS FIRE DISTRICT