On Tuesday, March 30, the Hicksville Fire District's Board of Commissioners will hold a second public meeting to provide the community with another opportunity to offer comment on finding a viable solution to the overcrowded conditions at its Station Two, located at the intersection of Woodbury Road and Briggs Street. The public meeting, which will commence at 7 p.m., will be held at Hicksville Fire Department headquarters, located at 20 East Marie Street.

"We had a useful exchange of information and comments at our first public meeting in February," said Robert Dwyer, chairman of the Hicksville Board of Fire Commissioners. "This second meeting is being held to give those who were unable to attend an opportunity to hear our consultant's report and express their feelings about this issue."

Dwyer emphasized, however, that this meeting will not address the specific feasibility of building a new firehouse for Station Two on a nearby Town of Oyster Bay sump. "At the conclusion of [the Feb.18 meeting], the board voted to look into the option of using the sump on Ronald Avenue as the future location for Station Two. That process is still in its initial phase and will not be a public discussion item at the March 30 meeting," said Dwyer.

On the agenda for the March 30 meeting will be a detailed report that will show the current crowded conditions of the existing firehouse and the need for renovation of the facilities, as was presented at the February public meeting.

"As it was clearly indicated at the first meeting, the morale of our volunteer firefighters and the enthusiasm they bring to their duties are key ingredients to the success of the department's day-to-day operations," said Commissioner William McKee. "Their enthusiastic turnout and their intense interest in this matter demonstrates that we must provide adequate facilities for these brave and selfless volunteers and we ask the community to show its support by helping us find a solution to this problem."

At the March 30 meeting, the H2M Group - the architectural and engineering firm with environmental expertise retained by the district last summer to assist with the assessment of the project, will again present the findings of a study it conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using alternative sites for the firehouse. The study, which assessed both practical and financial considerations, including firefighter response times to Station Two, looked at nearby Brownfield sites and Town of Oyster Bay properties in Hicksville, as suggested by residents at prior meetings.

A series of renovation plans previously considered for the existing site, including the most recent proposed plans, will also be presented. Finally, the board of fire commissioners will take comments from the public on this very important issue.

"While the board of fire commissioners is committed to providing our volunteer firefighters with the best possible facilities, equipment and training to ensure their safety, we also remain sensitive to the concerns of the entire community. That is why we are providing a second opportunity for our citizens to provide input and learn more about the problems we face and the options we have explored to date," said Commissioner Anthony Wigdzinski.

"As a commissioner and former chief of the department, I am sensitive to the needs of our volunteers as well as those of our community. I also understand our obligation to be good neighbors to those who reside in the vicinity of our fire stations. And I again want to remind our residents that, since we have practiced fiscally conservative budgeting, we have successfully avoided the need for bond issues and dramatic tax increases. The Station Two project, in whatever form it ultimately takes, will be funded in the same manner as part of our overall capital planning," he said.

Wigdzinski concluded, "We look forward to a productive second public meeting."