2 J.F"irst Meeting J.Fire District Taxes Called" - - PDF document

Public Hearing Garrison Fire District Formation

Mark C. Butler, Esq. Law Offices of Mark C. Butler, PLLC August 19,2015

..What is a Fire District?

• A fire district is a political subdivision of

the state

• Town Law 174(7)
• Same as a town, village or city
• District becomes the municipal entity
• responsible for fire protection
• instead of Town

..What is a Fire District?

• New municipal entity
• Boundaries
• "Garrison Fire Protection District of the

Town of Philipstown"

• Fire District becomes responsible for
• Fire Protection
• In place of Town

J.What is a Fire District?

• Currently
• Town provides fire protection in the FPD
• Town contracts with for service
• Garrison Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
• Garrison VFC provides personnel

..What is a Fire District?

• Proposed
• New Garrison Fire District operates fire

service

• Direct control over fire protection
• No annual contracts with Garrison VFC
• Fire District sets budget
• Direct municipal control
• Nothing changes internally for Fire Company

Garrison Volunteer Fire

..Company, Inc.

• Nothing changes for Fire Company:
• Corporate structure remains the same
• Still a membership organization
• VFC fund raising remains the same
• The change is the authority over the

Fire Company:

• From the Town to the Fire District
• Fire District directly pays for fire protection
• No contract funds go to Garrison VFC

Attorney Butler Presentation-Town of Philipstown Public Hearing August 19, 2015

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J.{ire District Responsibilities

• Provides fire protection
• Fire District sets budget and money
• Public process
• Budget hearings
• Direct elections
• No contract with GVFC
• Separate legal entity from Fire Company.

J.{ire District Responsibilities

• Must use low bid process
• Annual elections
• Open meetings
• Annual financial report required
• Filed with Town and NYS Comptroller
• Annual outside audit required
• Filed with Town and NYS Comptroller

J.{ire District Officers

• Commissioners
• Publically elected municipal officials
• Treasurer
• Publically elected municipal official
• Secretary
• Appointed municipal official
• Initial Commissioners and Treasurer

appointed by Town Board

"'Fire District Responsibilities

• Mandatory public budget process
• Just like Town
• Public budget hearing annually
• Statutory cap on budget
• Mandatory bond vote for any borrowing
• "Bonding"
• Unlike Town

"'Fire District Operations

• The Fire District is operated by a

"Board of Fire Commissioners"

• Equivalent to Town Board
• Sole purpose is fire protection
• Completely separate and distinct entity
• Not part of the Fire Company

"'commissioner Qualifications

• Resident of Fire District
• 18 years of age
• Not a Chief in FD
• No arson convictions
• May be Fire Company member

Attorney Butler Presentation- Town of PhJ1ipstown Public Hearing August 19, 2015

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J.F"irst Meeting

• Called" Organization Meeting"
• Treasurer Temporary Chair
• Chair Elected
• District Secretary Appointed

l

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I

Estimated Tax Rate

..~---

J.senefits of Formation

• Single purpose public-safety entity
• Controls training, response, spending
• Legally responsible entity
• Direct Voter Approval
• Commissioner elections
• All bonding (borrowing)
• Open Budget Process
• Public hearing.

J.Fire District Taxes

• Separate tax, across whole Fire District
• Based on taxable real property in

District

• Based on Fire District Budget:
• Budget + Assessed Valuation =Tax Rate

"

J.f--_E_s_ti_m_a_te_d_T_a_X_R_a_te

_

Proposed Tax Budget*:

$ 821,204

Assessed Valuation:

$824,948,706

Tax Rate: $,9954 per $1,000

*As proposed by GVFC

Questions?

Attorney Butler Presentation-Town of Philipstown Public Hearing August 19,2015

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