Village Board wants?????

[TLFD40]

Lost?? I think not, i am a father with a wife and 4 kids 15 years to 3 months plus work, so i don't have a lot of time to sit on my butt in front of the computer.... I should have printed out the questions you presented me, i will try from memory... we never requested police presence. They hired the overtime and the taxpayers (including myself) deserve it. They just want to cut their budget, they have also been trying to get rid of the PD for years, why, because they are one of the lowest paid in NY, and they lose a person every two years. they won't do it, but they always talk about it and that's why we can worry about our Training Tower and Race track and not the PD. We don't race, we host the races, you know how much one of those cars costs? There ya go again, because we are a volunteer Dept, we all drink and drive our cars w/blue ligts ablaze. Some of us don't drink, some of us take our volunteering serious. Plus if some one shows up drunk on my fire scene, they are removed immediately. Enough said! Lost sight of what? we use that money to buy things that the village cuts from our budget, we have telephone bills, cable bill etc..... yeah, we buy a shirt here or there and some jackets every 3 years, this year we ordered new uniforms, money does not get ****ed away. Why should the police be present at a block dance were there are about 150-200 people, oh i don't know maybe because I AM A TAXPAYER AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DONATE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PAY OVERTIME FOR POLICE PROTECTION I HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR!!!!!!!!!!!! tHIS IS A BIGGER STORY THAN I CAN TELL IN THIS FORUM. Any questions? Write back!!!!! Two Books, never thought of that one Capt!!!! Only kidding!!!!

[svfd162]

TLFD40's problem can be solved by the time honored method of forming an auxillary. The TLFD Auxillary would hold the fund raisers, etc. Their books are separate. The can control what is purchased with the funds and any government bid laws, etc. can be ignored. They purchase whatever, and gift the material to the TLFD. It's been done for years in many types of organizations.

Oh, are most members of the Auxillary the members of the TLFD and their families? Interesting, but it doesn't change a thing.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

TLFD:

You were doing better when you didn't say anything.

1. As a fellow law enforcement officer, I am sure that you are aware that the police department doesn't just decide to bring in officers on OT just for the hell of it. If they are assigning PD to your events one of two things is happening: a) somebody requested it or b) There is a need for the protection of the public at your events. There are no other reasons.

My FD runs a carnival every year. Because there is a liqour license involved and because there are large crowds, the PD requires that a certain number of officers be hired on OT to patrol the grounds. It is completely unreasonable to expect that this OT expenditure, which gets quite costly over the course of four days, be paid for by the taxpayers. No one even suggests it. You, as a taxpayer, pay for police PATROLS and someone to answere emergencies or service calls. You don't pay taxes for someone to walk around and babysit a blockdance. If that is happening, there is no wonder they are trying to do away with the PD.

2. If money is so tight, you must guard against the waste of funds. Exactly how many fires can be fought with shirts and uniforms. Yeah, they're neat to have, but at the expense of legit fire fighting equipment? How about no cable in the firehouse? That's what real people do if they can't afford it.

3. Please try to explain to me the relevance of the cost of a race car to this discussion. And who said anything about driving drunk?

4. Your "I deserve it" attitude is unbelievable. I was right, you guys have lost sight of what this is about. But try to tell us the whole story in the forum. We have time. There are no space limitations. Help us to understand.

[nonameFF]

Your story changes more often than the weather....

Originally posted by TLFD40
They want our members to use the money to pay for police overtime for our functions and use our raised monies to cut their fire budget....

Now you reply and among your soapbox comments, you claim that the police has nothing to do with your company or its events... which one is it?

If you have sufficient funds from your fundraisers, why shouldn't the town cut your budget. You clearly don't need the money.

As far as the alcohol issue, it was you that said:

Originally posted by TLFD40
We raise our own money for our supper meetings, block dances and barbecues for the residents.

So you raise money to party, not to fight fires. I don't blame the town for being upset.

[Bones42]

I think Malahat Two-7's signature line says it best..."Better to be thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

But anyway, back to the original question:

Does anybody Especially any NY Vol depts know of any legal reasons we have to turn over our books to these people?

Does anyone have the answer to this?

[nonameFF]

Legal reason -- depends on status of fire company.

If NY corporation, there may be State reporting requirements that are public record.

If 501(c)(3) [as Dal pointed out] you must file 990 and that is public record.

Otherwise, no "legal" requirement.

However,

New York Statutes require municipal approval for fire company to do fundraisers. They could make disclosure a requirement of approval.

One of the posts states that the town funds the FD. They can condition the funding on the disclosure.

Why wouldn't you want the town to know what you have? What are you hiding?

[TLFD40]

New York Statutes require municipal approval for fire company to do fundraisers. They could make disclosure a requirement of approval.

No problem with this we do it....

Why wouldn't you want the town to know what you have? What are you hiding?

Not hiding anything, for the last 100 years they cared less what the Dept made, why all the sudden? We asked them why and they will not give us an answer. What would you do?? Our thinking is that they see what we raise and then they cut that much out of the budget, and what if we don't make the same every year on the fund raiser?

You requested police protection for what?

Traffic Control for the Parade. You just can't throw civilian bob out on a corner and tell him to direct traffic.

[QUOTE]Unless it is a fire scene, why shouldn't you pay for it? [QUOTE]

Does your dept hold any events that require a police presence, and if you do, any of the depts out there pay?

Give us the whole story.....

I am Trying, but i can't get my point across here, i will keep trying...

Think about it, would you want to have to cut someone out of a car after they were drinking at a FD sponsored event?

3.And who said anything about driving drunk?

I misread the above comment concerning drinking, my apologies.

I'm sure when they do their Fund Raising, it does not mention being for running the firehouse. I am sure their fund raising is themed on supper meetings, block dances and barbecues for the residents.

You are partially correct, yes some of the money is used for that, but some is used for equipment....

You were doing better when you didn't say anything.

I thought i was asking for help here, not being staked to the wall. In should have worded this better and not written it, right after the meeting that night.

1. As a fellow law enforcement officer, I am sure that you are aware that the police department doesn't just decide to bring in officers on OT just for the hell of it. If they are assigning PD to your events one of two things is happening: a) somebody requested it or b) There is a need for the protection of the public at your events. There are no other reasons.

I understand that completely, but should we have to pay for it? Yes we asked for it, we requested it, but pay for it.

My FD runs a carnival every year.

Do pay for the Police???

If money is so tight, you must guard against the waste of funds. Exactly how many fires can be fought with shirts and uniforms. Yeah, they're neat to have, but at the expense of legit fire fighting equipment? How about no cable in the firehouse? That's what real people do if they can't afford it.

Money is tight for the Village, not us. I am the treasurer and i assure you there is no waste. Uniforms are part of the attire, do you wear jeans and a T-Shirt for your parades? I lived in Jersey and never saw any of that! We have paid drivers 24/7, we (members) pay for that.. We are not suffering for equipment, any more questions on this???

I will respond more later!!!!!

[nonameFF]

I think that people need to realize that with the anti-tax increase movement, more and more municipalities are going to have to look long and hard at where the $$$ are going. If you company raises $100,000 a year that just goes in the bank and you have several hundred grand sitting around, why should they fund the FD from the tax base?

Its a horrible double edged sword. But if you have too much lying about, then your tax support should be cut.

[TLFD40]

We raise no where near 100 grand, maybe 5 grand if that. We only have 6000 residents up here. No big money up here....

[nonameFF]

The numbers were solely as example.

[TLFD40]

okay

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Do pay for the Police???

I already answered that. Of course we do...at the overtime rate.

[TLFD40]

Good for you

[firefighterox]

congrats on the fd's 100th some peeps just dont understand the crap that the village puts fd's through. if anybody has a problem with what i just said........ guess what u will just have to deal. hope u win the battle with the village TLFD40.

[TLFD40]

ff_woo
Thanks for the vote of confidence. The Village has started to back pedal. They voted to rescind the vote on dismantling the tower, we obtained copies of all the minutes of any meetings that affected the tower deal. Thanks again to all who responded.....

Mark