Town approves fire contracts, Hanover Center not included
Town approves fire contracts, Hanover Center not included
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HANOVER -- Each year since Lou Pelletter took office as Supervisor of the Town of Hanover, the annual fire protection contract public hearing has been contentious. Pelletter thought having departments merge into one taxing district could alleviate some of the pressure on the Town Board to be involved in fire-related discussions each year.
Instead, only two departments merged -- Sunset Bay and Silver Creek -- to form the Bay Creek Fire District. As a result, the Town Board found itself having similar conversations yet again this year. Rather than most of the conversation being centered around the Forestville Fire Department, like it has been in recent years, it was one of the departments the Town did not prepare a contract for – Hanover Center – that took the spotlight of a recent public hearing.
After public discussion, the Board approved three fire protection contracts for 2027. Forestville Fire Department will receive $36,986 for Fire Protection District 1 and $32,045 for Fire Protection District 2. Perrysburg will receive $2,550 for its portion of Fire Protection District No. 2. The contracts represent a 3% increase for the Forestville Fire Department and a 2% increase for Perrysburg.
The contracts state the fire companies shall answer and attend all calls in their district. Each company will be responsible for any loss or damage to its equipment, as well as payment "of all claims for injuries to or death of fire personnel in connection with such calls."
The contracts are necessary because the Town of Hanover relies upon the Forestville Fire Department to cover a significant portion of the town limits. All properties on the north side of King Road are now part of the Bay Creek Fire District, along with properties from King Road to Routes 5 and 20 that were formerly in the Hanover Center Fire Department protection area. The Bay Creek Fire District prepares its own budget and is run by elected fire commissioners, rather than the Town Board being responsible for contracting with the departments for coverage.
Two members of the Hanover Center Fire Department attended the recent public hearing, even though the Town did not prepare a contract for Hanover Center like it did in years past. Steve Peters, a member of the department, said Hanover Center recently approached the Bay Creek commissioners about joining the district. Peters said a letter of interest was presented to Bay Creek commissioners. He said their facilities and equipment were evaluated, but there has been no movement, claiming the commissioners told him that the district is not prepared to support Hanover Center financially at this time.
Pelletter responded to Hanover Center's comments by stating, "It certainly would've made this a lot easier if we did this two years ago."
When asked by another member of the department where the Town's decision to no longer contract with Hanover Center beginning Jan. 1 leaves the department, Pelletter said it is not the Town's responsibility. "You'd have to ask them," Pelletter said, referring to Bay Creek. "We're out. We've been out, and I told everybody we would be out of this."
The official budgets for the Bay Creek Fire District and the Forestville Fire District will be available for public view by request at the Town Clerk's Office. The Town of Hanover 2027 operating budget was presented at a public hearing following the fire contracts, and is also on file at the Town Clerk's Office. The Town Board tabled a resolution to approve the budget until its next meeting, Oct. 26, to allow for more discussion regarding the enhanced police protection agreement with the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office and Village of Silver Creek.