The Village of Scotia Board of Trustees will kick off the new year by looking at hiring two new firefighters, including a new fire chief. Mayor Kris Kastberg said the trustees hope to have a new chief in place as early as March.
Kastberg said the village has five internal candidates for the position, including the acting chief, Capt. Charles Keller, who has been filling in since spring when former Chief Richard Kasko left to take a job with General Electric.
Kastberg said those vying for positions within the department will take a civil service exam in January.
We expect those results back in January and February, in the meantime we can start the interviewing process, said Kastberg.
Kastberg said the village is also revisiting the issue of providing fire coverage for Fire District 4, which is under the Town of Glenville’s jurisdiction. The town pays the village to provide service to the area, which includes lower Mohawk Avenue and the Scotia-Glenville Industrial Park. The village was hoping for a long-term contract with the town but only received a one-year agreement.
The cost of the coverage for the year comes to $339,000, a number Kastberg said has increased because of property values.
Glenville Supervisor Frank Quinn said that the cost has increased too much, and he wants to look at what is best for the taxpayers. Quinn said the town is surveying homeowners and business owners in the park to see if they are comfortable with paying the village $339,000, or to see if it is time to go with a volunteer company, such as Buekendaal or Thomas Corners.
Quinn said questionnaires will be sent out to residents and business owners in District No. 4 this month and will be reviewed before the one-year contract expires so that the town can decided how to proceed.
`It’s not of question of how good the service is that Scotia provides; it is a question of the wallets of the taxpayers involved. The [Glenville] Town Board actually has to act as the board of fire commissioners, and we have to do what the customer wants,` said Quinn.
In other fire department news, Kastberg said the village is excited to receive a $75,000 federal grant that will allow the fire department to purchase new air packs. He said the department needs to replace air packs every 15 years, and the grant will mean a huge savings for the department.
`We are very happy to have this news, its will allow us to help improve the safety of our firefighters,` said Kastberg.
The village will also begin talks about a new municipal building. The current location of the police and fire departments, administrative offices and courthouse are aging at their North Ten Broeck Street location.
The board will next meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14.“