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New firehouse proposal also on Lindy Village ballot In addition to voting for a Mayor and two Trustees on Tues., March 18, Lindenhurst Village residents will be asked to vote on a proposal to spend up to $7.5 million for the construction of a new firehouse. The question was the subject of a public meeting held at Lindenhurst Middle School last week. The plan has the support of the Lindenhurst Fire Department. Some of those in attendance also offered support, saying the current main firehouse on South Wellwood Avenue, built in 1923, is outdated for today's fire service and would cost too much to update. In addition, its location in the center of the Village's business district raises concerns about safety and response time. "I live down south and I don't want to be waiting for a fire department ambulance if someone in my family is sick," said Josephine Rosper. "This is a good plan." "This is money well spent," said another supporter, Scott Cestari, a volunteer with the rescue service. Opponent's however, said the expenditure, particularly at a time when the economy is stalling, will place a burden on taxpayers and could be significantly reduced by retrofitting the current building or relocating it to a Village-owned site at Firemen's Park. The plan calls for purchasing a parcel, almost 200' by 200' between Travis and Smith Streets at an estimated cost of $1 million, based on property appraisals. The site is split by two owners, one who has indicated he will sell. Village officials said they are prepared to negotiate further with both parties, but want to make sure that residents want the plan to move forward first. The proposed building will add approximately 10,000 square feet of space for the department to the current building, which is 7,180 square feet. It will enable the department to construct wider bays for the new vehicles, eliminating the need to have them specially designed for the older, narrower bays, and provide sufficient space for training, storage and other apparatus needs. Most significant!, said Village officials, the new building will meet all OSHA, FEMA, NFPA and ADA standards. If approved, the estimated cost of the bond at 5 percent over 20 years will add approximately $1.50 to the current general tax rate of $11.29, bringing it to $12.79. That rate includes all Village services, including fire and emergency services. Residents in a home assessed at $4,000, for example, currently pay $451.60 a year for Village taxes; that would go to $511.60 a year, if the plan is approved. Residents can estimate their actual cost for the new firehouse by multiplying their assessed value by $1.50. The proposal was raised four years ago when the Village Board was approached by the fire department to consider addressing some of its pressing infrastructure needs. At that time, the board formed an exploratory committee and began looking into the question of whether it would be cost effective to renovate the existing building or build a new one. It quickly became apparent that the most cost efficient way to meet the department's needs today and into the future was to relocate the main firehouse, which serves a fire company and the department's rescue services, and put up a new building. "It became clear to us that building a new firehouse somewhere else in the center of the Village was the way to go," said Trustee Kevin McCaffrey, who headed up the exploratory committee. "We are not coming to you 'willy-nilly,' saying we want to spend a lot of money," McCaffrey told the crowd who attended the meeting. "We are a fiscally conservative board and understand that we don't have an open checkbook, but are asking you to support this project because we believe it is needed." A 2005 survey by Newsday showed that Lindenhurst's average cost for fire taxes per capita was $57 a year, compared to the Long Island figure of $311. At the same time, the average response time for fire and rescue calls in Lindenhurst is 5.46 minutes; much lower that the average response time on Long Island which is 7.36 minutes. "We believe that we have shown you that we are spending your money wisely while at the same time maintaining a high level of services," said McCaffrey. "We are asking you to trust us based on the history of our accomplishments." Many who opposed the project said they were prompted not by a lack of appreciation for the fire department but by serious economic concerns, and by the fact that the information was made public only weeks before the vote. "We are in a recession and I don't know about my job," said Greg Doelger. "I am trying to hold on here, and while I don't think that anyone is in dispute that these volunteers need good equipment, I just heard about this and I need more time to make an informed decision." "This is the largest expenditure in the Village's history and we have not had enough time to study it," said Joe Schiffer. Mayor Tom Brennan said that the issue has been discussed at Village Board meetings, but that he will respond to those concerns by sending a letter to every homeowner in the Village explaining the plan in detail. "In hindsight maybe we could have done this differently, but it is not a very complicated issue," said Brennan, who added that the Village held two meetings on the question. "We need to address safety and other concerns with regard to our fire department services and the board believes that this is the best way to do that. But we want the public to tell us if they agree and want us to proceed or not." Other residents had concerns about the proposed new location, saying the Village could save money by putting the new firehouse at Firemen's Park. "We have a junior high school, a post office and businesses right in the area (Travis and Smith Streets) and parking is already bad," said Jean Bowden. Another plan proposed by a number of residents is to put a third floor on the current building and raise the first floor two feet for greater height clearance. That would not address, however, the safety concerns of maintaining the firehouse on Wellwood Avenue and the width requirements for the bays. Others just wanted assurances that the plan was modest and did not include the "frills" that some other departments across Long Island have placed on taxpayers' shoulders. "I try to be financially responsible in my house and I am supporting this because I don't see a Tiki room or a ballroom on the plans," said Denise Doyen. "Is that because there is none?" she asked. "You are right, there are none," said McCaffrey. "It is nothing more than a safe, functional firehouse that meets the needs of the volunteers and the residents they serve- not a Taj Mahal."
The vote is Tues. March 18. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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