by Kristina Gabalski
Members of the Boards of Commissioners of the Hamlin, Walker and Morton Fire Districts will hold a special meeting Wednesday, January 18 at 7 p.m. at the Hamlin Fire District Building on Lake Road to discuss and vote on consolidating the three districts.
Hamlin Fire Chief Allan Smith says a study committee consisting of members of all three fire districts has recommended moving forward with consolidation.
“The three fire districts will make a decision whether to move forward (with consolidation) or not,” Smith says.
The three districts have spent the past year studying consolidation. The Center for Governmental Research (CGR) in Rochester completed a study which included assessment of shared services and consolidation opportunities.
CGR Senior Associate Scott Sittig, M.P.P., says the study includes a couple of different models that could be considered and “assessed the feasibility of consolidating into one.”
Areas studied included cost, services and staffing, Sittig says
He notes fire districts around the state are considering consolidation because they are facing two major issues – financing – particularly in light of the new tax cap – and volunteers/staffing.
“Fire districts are asking, ‘How can we do more with potentially less?’ ” he says.
“The numbers of volunteers are dwindling,” Sittig adds, and state mandates now require more training for firefighters.
Sittig says as costs go up and volunteers go down, “there is pressure on local governments to be more effective and efficient.”
