The Dewittville, Hartfield and Mayville fire departments will become the North Lake Fire District effective Sept. 3. PJ Archive photos by Gregory Bacon
Starting next month, a new fire district will be available to many residents of the Town of Chautauqua.
During the Mayville Town Council meeting on Tuesday, town officials passed a resolution to officially abolish the Mayville Fire Department, effective Sept. 3. Then on Wednesday, the Chautauqua Town Council passed a resolution to officially abolish the Dewittville and Hartfield fire departments, also effective Sept. 3.
On this day, the Hartfield, Dewittville and Mayville fire departments officially become the North Lake Fire District.
The Chautauqua Volunteer Fire Department, which serves the Chautauqua Institution and other residents in that borough, is not part of the merger.
The idea of merging the departments has been discussed for years, but it has never been implemented.
Then in February, the Mayville Town Council rejected a request by the village fire department to purchase its own fire engine, which would have cost $1.2 million. Following that rejection, representatives from the Mayville, Dewittville, Hartfield and Chautauqua fire departments met to discuss the possibility of merging into a single fire department.
The Chautauqua Volunteer Fire Department quickly declined, but the other three fire departments continued to explore the issue. They hired a Syracuse attorney who specializes in fire department mergers to explain the process and discuss the options.
Councilman Tom Carlson said he has heard about a merger since 1990, when he first became a volunteer firefighter. The difference this time, he believes, is that they have brought in attorney Brad Pinsky.
City Councilman Scott Cummings agreed.
“That was needed – someone from outside with a fresh perspective, a fire service expert,” he said.
A public hearing on the merger proposal was held at the end of May. No objections were raised at this meeting.
Sufficient time has passed since that public hearing that no referendums were brought for approval, allowing the village and town councils to complete the dissolution of their respective departments and consolidate them into a single department.
Councilman Don Emhardt, the outgoing Dewittville Fire Chief, said that at this time all three fire stations are still in use.
Mayville will charge the new fire district $25,648 a year to rent the building. Mayor Rick Syper said they arrived at that amount after a rent study and through “negotiations” with the new district.
Trustee Mark Perry said he was pleased about the creation of the new district.
“It’s about the community and the region. Everyone wins. It’s getting stronger. The response has been overwhelming,” he said.
Fire department leaders have previously said they believe the merged department will help them both financially and rejuvenate the departments through the larger pool of volunteers.
Pinsky is charging the new district $40,000 for his services. At public meetings, he said grant money is available to not only cover his costs, but also to help the new, merged department purchase things like matching turnout gear or painting existing vehicles.
Emhardt said that, to his knowledge, the new department is still in the process of applying for the grant funds and has not yet received any approval.
