Having been reporting mis-information and leaving out pertinent information in the past, the Journal still gets news wrong.
The County has nothing to do with the potential merger, it states the county does. Below is the Headlines from the Journal, judge for yourself this mis-leading headline:
Results of Poughkeepsie Journal “Speak Up” question
Greater than 3-to-1 majority favor consolidation of services
The following results were published in the Poughkeepsie Journal on Sat June 16
Poughkeepsie Journal Reports 6/15/2012:
Consolidating several of Dutchess County’s fire districts could lower property-tax rates, boost firefighting staffs and streamline operations without compromising fire coverage, sometimes even fixing critical deficiencies that threaten public safety.
This was according to a new Fairview Fire District Consolidation and Efficiency Study by Pace University, sought by Fairview’s board of fire commissioners. Some officials in fire districts surrounding Fairview disputed the accuracy of the 200-page report.
“Research is research, but opinions are not research,” said City of Poughkeepsie Fire Chief Mark Johnson. “The document is full of opinions. It’s geared for Fairview.”
Since 2010, the university’s Michaelian Institute for Public Policy and Management has explored reorganizing Fairview’s district with one or more of the these: fire districts in Arlington, Hyde Park, Roosevelt and Staatsburg, and the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department.
The main investigator, Michael Genito, said his team looked at whether the public thought its fire service was adequate and how to balance minimal taxpayer burden with optimum fire protection. The study suggested these Fairview deficiencies could be addressed by consolidating with one or more other districts:
• Personnel shortages mean firefighters have to make a choice of either attacking the fire or rescuing a victim.
• Because Fairview doesn’t have a second staffed firetruck until mutual aid arrives, critical tasks are not performed, such as forcible entry, horizontal ventilation, roof ventilation, search and rescue, checking for exposure risk to other structures, et cetera.
• There are times all fire personnel are on ambulance calls and unavailable for fire response.
• The district operates at staff levels considered substandard by the National Fire Protection Association, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, et cetera.
“There is a lot to be discussed,” Genito said. “Everyone has their own personal feeling about their fire department and fire services.”
Fairview Fire Chief Chris Maeder, who is on the study’s committee, noted the study surveyed residents, with 74 percent of respondents rating their experience with Fairview’s fire and medical services as “good” or “excellent.”
Yet, he said, “we continue to do more with less here, and we are at a point where I don’t know how to do that.” Fairview needs change, he said. Maeder welcomes consolidation with districts that are agreeable, as long as it’s in the best interest of his staff and residents.
Findings:
The study doesn’t make recommendations, but presents institute findings on operational and logistical, financial and legal dimensions, in several scenarios.
One scenario, combining all the districts, would cost about $28.4 million (unadjusted); would reduce station redundancies in the southern and northern parts of the study area and would maintain staffing levels, the report said.
A full consolidation would have mixed financial results, with smaller districts seeing a tax-rate increase and larger districts seeing a decrease. Assuming a 2011 median sale price of $250,717, the median-priced single-family household would pay on average $978 per year in fire district property tax, the report said. This is lower than the current estimated annual taxes of $1,321 for Fairview and $1,276 for Arlington, but higher than the $292 for Hyde Park, $323 for Roosevelt and $183 for Staatsburg, the study found. The report also projected the portion of the tax burden related to the City of Poughkeepsie fire district at $1,047.
The study proposes that the benefits to taxpayers who would pay more under consolidation include improved insurance premiums and smaller risk of death and injury for fire-service personnel and civilians. The report said: “Two of the most important elements in limiting fire spread are the quick arrival of sufficient numbers of personnel and equipment to attack and extinguish the fire as close to the point of its origin as possible.”
Several fire officials declined to comment, saying they hadn’t had time to review the 200-page report and wished to wait for the institute’s public presentation before going on the record. These officials were Roosevelt Fire Chief Dan Nichols and board of fire commissioners Chairman Edward Desmond; Hyde Park Fire Chief Steve Wilcha; City of Poughkeepsie Mayor John Tkazyik; and Arlington Fire Chief Tory Gallante.
Richie Simpson, president of the Hyde Park Fire and Water District board of trustees, said none of the higher authorities in his district has had any communication with Fairview about the final report.
Johnson, Tkazyik and Gallante said they thought some of the study’s figures and facts regarding the City of Poughkeepsie and Arlington were inaccurate. Genito defended the research, saying the institute used third-party data from official sources.
Staatsburg fire officials couldn’t be reached Wednesday.
“There are a lot of people who are struggling … officials should be trying to do something to lessen the tax burden,” Arlington district resident Doreen Tignanelli said. She called for a countywide study of consolidating EMS services.
Hyde Park taxpayer and business owner Kim Miller of Surviving Sisters Boutique opposes any consolidation that would shut fire stations. “I can’t tell you the amount of accidents I see right here (on Route 9). It’s terrible,” she said.
Staatsburg taxpayer Todd Bender supports a countywide police, fire and ambulance service, but said there is a lot of resistance, because “fire departments mark their territory more than a dog in heat.”
This study was funded by a Local Government Efficiency Grant awarded by the New York Department of State. The study’s next phase is a public presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Dutchess County Emergency Response Center.
Jim Doxsey Writes: ” As you can see from my previously website formation in 2008, something might actually begin. We have been attempting to do a look see for Consolidation, the Dutchess County Legislature failed to address this Resolution from me in 2008 “.
For all residents of Dutchess County to give their input of services to cut or keep, or a potential increase in their 2013 Taxes to offset those programs they have come to expect.
Please note: The time to compile data will end in July 2012.
NYS Department of Financial Services presents:
Foreclosure Prevention Program
Friday, June 15
11 AM to 7PM
Crannell Street Municipal Parking Lot
12 North Hamilton Street, Poughkeepsie,NY 12601
Homeowners facing foreclosure will be able to speak individually with a trained specialist who will:
• Assess where they are in the pre-foreclosure or foreclosure process.
• Provide information about specific loan modification programs that may be available.
• Offer guidance on how homeowners can file complaints about suspected lender or mortgage servicer abuses, such as predatory lending.
Homeowners should bring copies of their mortgage documents, loan payment records, or any other information relevant to their personal mortgage that could be useful. Consultations are one-on-one with NYS Dept. of Financial Services specialists.
This is FREE service. No appointments necessary. Open to all Dutchess County homeowners.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 518-828-1529
Dutchess County Housing Coordinator Anne Saylor:
“This program is designed to assist seniors make necessary home safety repairs that may be otherwise be too costly or difficult for them to do on their own. Low and moderate income seniors can take advantage of zero percent loans and deferred payment, up to $20,000, to make these repairs.”
The program provides zero percent loans and deferred payment loans up to $20,000 to income eligible senior citizens. Loans are repaid through a monthly payment while deferred payment loans have no monthly payment and are repaid when the homeowner leaves or sells the property. The type of assistance to be provided is based on income. Households making between 0-50% of the county median receive deferred payment loans and households making between 50-80% of the county median receive zero percent interest loans.
Eligible repairs include minor to moderate rehabilitation necessary to alleviate building code violations. The focus of the program is repairs to “major systems” such as: roofs, furnaces, decks/porches, structural problems, handicapped accessibility, electrical, and plumbing. Properties with necessary repairs that substantially exceed $20,000 will not be eligible for assistance.
Remember, you need to “substantially” exceed the amount of $20,000 dollars to “not” qualify. Repairs could potentially be slightly over and you’ll still be eligible.
Eligible properties include single-family detached properties. In Dutchess County, a home must be valued at or below $247,285 to be eligible for the program. This limit is established annually by the federal government. Generally, the “full market value” listed on a homeowner’s most current property tax bill is used to determine this value. Mobile homes, condominiums and townhouses are not eligible for the program.
A call to me and I’ll help any senior qualify, my cell phone is listed on my website:
Eligible applicants must be 62 years of age or older and their household income must be below the following maximums:
Family Size Income Limits
1 $45,500
2 $52,000
3 $58,500
4 $65,000
Eligible applicants must be named on the deed as an owner. Eligible applicants can have other persons on the deed as long as they are also one of the owners. Life tenants and properties owned by trusts are ineligible. Applicants must show the Dutchess County property is their principal residence.
For 2012 eligible properties may by located in any Dutchess County municipality except the City of Poughkeepsie, which has its own CDBG allocation and program, and the towns of Fishkill, East Fishkill and Village of Wappingers Falls.
The Town of Fishkill, Town of East Fishkill and Village of Wappingers Falls will be participating in the program in 2013. Applicants from these three communities will be put on a mailing list and their applications will be mailed in early January 2013.
Guidelines and applications are available by contacting the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development, 27 High Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 at (845) 486-3600 or at the County’s website: www.dutchessny.gov
My reason for continueing to remain your Legislator for District 1 is to serve you. I hope this will help you maintain your residence in the Fairview and Arlington Districts.
Respectfully,
Honorable Mr. James R. Doxsey
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