West Brighton Fire Transfer Voted Down, Temporarily
By: Caroline Tucker
Updated: July 12, 2012
After a four hour public hearing, the Brighton Town Board unanimously voted down a resolution to transfer control of the West Brighton Fire Department to the Rochester City Fire Department.
However, the vote comes with the stipulation that over the next two weeks, the West Brighton Fire Department, the City of Rochester Fire Department, and the Town of Brighton can find a partnership to work together.
Town officials say it has taken to long for West Brighton Fire Department leaders to come to the table to work out and agreement and they said Wednesday night that they were disapointed that it came down to the "eleventh hour."
However, they agreed to give the West Brighton Fire Department until its next board meeting to work something out.
It followed hours of discussion and outrage by West Brighton residents who came out to weigh in on the future of fire protection and emergency services in their fire district.
It was standing room only inside Brighton Town Hall as some passionate voices were heard in an effort to protect the West Brighton Fire Department from being taken over by a City of Rochester fire crew.
The town wants to pay Rochester $750,000 a year starting July 18 and running through 2016.
The City of Rochester would operate services out of the West Brighton Fire Headquarters.
This would eliminate the 16 part-time firefighters employed by the Town of Brighton.
This follows two independent studies done by outside consultants which suggested that the mostly volunteer department can't meet the needs of the district.
Residents and firefighters say a town contract with the city of Rochester is a wrong move.
Town Supervisor Bill Moehle said he wants the West Brighton volunteers to continue to play a role.
Firefighters have said that they feared that wouldn't be the case if Rochester took over because they ssaid that volunteerism wasn't promoted within the city fire department.
The next town board meeting is scheduled for July 25 at 7pm.
There is also a scheduled vote, separate from the contract, that will go before West Brighton Fire Protection District residents. That is set for August 28. Voters will decide whether to dissolve the fire protection district or keep it in tact.
However, the vote comes with the stipulation that over the next two weeks, the West Brighton Fire Department, the City of Rochester Fire Department, and the Town of Brighton can find a partnership to work together.
Town officials say it has taken to long for West Brighton Fire Department leaders to come to the table to work out and agreement and they said Wednesday night that they were disapointed that it came down to the "eleventh hour."
However, they agreed to give the West Brighton Fire Department until its next board meeting to work something out.
It followed hours of discussion and outrage by West Brighton residents who came out to weigh in on the future of fire protection and emergency services in their fire district.
It was standing room only inside Brighton Town Hall as some passionate voices were heard in an effort to protect the West Brighton Fire Department from being taken over by a City of Rochester fire crew.
The town wants to pay Rochester $750,000 a year starting July 18 and running through 2016.
The City of Rochester would operate services out of the West Brighton Fire Headquarters.
This would eliminate the 16 part-time firefighters employed by the Town of Brighton.
This follows two independent studies done by outside consultants which suggested that the mostly volunteer department can't meet the needs of the district.
Residents and firefighters say a town contract with the city of Rochester is a wrong move.
Town Supervisor Bill Moehle said he wants the West Brighton volunteers to continue to play a role.
Firefighters have said that they feared that wouldn't be the case if Rochester took over because they ssaid that volunteerism wasn't promoted within the city fire department.
The next town board meeting is scheduled for July 25 at 7pm.
There is also a scheduled vote, separate from the contract, that will go before West Brighton Fire Protection District residents. That is set for August 28. Voters will decide whether to dissolve the fire protection district or keep it in tact.
