The fire protection contract between the Village of Roslyn and its two volunteer fire companies remains in limbo over riders to the contract that concern insurance, idemnification, taxes, and other contracts.

Recently, the Roslyn fire companies sent the 1998 contract to the village for a signature. The village sent it back, asking for a "favored nation" amendment similar to the one Flower Hill and the other municipalities have. The rider, among other things, allows for the village to contract with other parties, "governmental or private" for certain fire company services. It also maintains that the village will be held "harmless" from any legal action taken against the fire companies and the costs that action may incur.

The rider also keeps fire company insurance rates within terms of the contractual agreement. The companies must hire insurance companies with a New York State rating level of not less than "A-" and a financial size category of "Class VIII" or higher. The municipalities can withhold payments to the fire companies until the certificates of insurance are delivered to the village.

The fire companies, without agreeing to the amendment, sent the same contract back to the village, billing Roslyn for $240,000 in services already performed.

According to Roslyn Mayor Janet Galante, the village will sign the contract when they get the same rates as Flower Hill and other municipalities. Once the contract is signed, the fire companies will receive payment on their latest billing.

About 10 percent of the village's $3.09 million 1998-99 budget is allocated to fire protection. Two years ago, the village, along with the same other eight municipalities, mostly in the North Shore, agreed to support a Service Award program for both Roslyn Rescue and Roslyn Highlands volunteer fire departments. The pension program was passed in a public referendum after veteran firefighters claimed that the lack of such a retirement fund had caused a severe drop in the number of men signing up as volunteer firefighters. It was estimated that the program would cost the average Roslyn household an extra $30 a year.

In a related issue, there have been discussions between the village and Roslyn Rescue about selling the fire company's building on Old Northern Boulevard. It has been rumored that Roslyn Rescue is interested in relocating to another building on Mineola Avenue. All discussions and possible negotiations are still in the preliminary stages.

In other contract news, the village has reached an agreement with the Pall Corporation on Northern Boulevard for an undisclosed amount.

The contract stipulates that Pall will pay both its propitiate share of what Nassau County charges the village for sewage disposal and what the village pays to the county as its debt service.

Pall will also install and maintain a meter to gauge an accurate measure of sewage usage. Village personnel will be able to check the meter on a periodical basis.

When the mayor asked Village Attorney John Spellman how the details of the contract were being ironed out, the attorney replied that since the village was "dealing with corporate America, I don't want to predict what they will do."