The Board of Fire Commissioners of the Jericho Fire District will hold its monthly public meeting on Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. The board decided to devote this meeting to discussions, presentations and comments relative to the proposed construction project that will involve the erection of a new fire department headquarters building on North Broadway in Jericho.

The Board of Fire Commissioners previously acquired real property on the east side of North Broadway diagonally across from the current fire district/fire department headquarters building for this purpose.

This project involves the erection of a new fire department headquarters building on this site, and the conversion of the current building to a fire district administrative and maintenance facility. The fire department and its apparatus would move across the street, and the current site would be utilized for fire district administrative offices, vehicle and equipment mechanics facilities, building maintenance operations facilities, records storage, vehicle fueling facilities and fire district communications and dispatching facilities.

According to the fire district the board has studied the need for improving fire district and fire department facilities, and determined that this type of project is necessary in order to provide the volunteer firefighters serving the community with safe, state-of-the-art quarters from which to serve the community. Fire vehicles and apparatus have changed greatly over the years and are much larger and more difficult to store and maintain. Equipment used by firefighters has changed over the years causing the need to address how it is stored and maintained. Training and fitness requirements developed to enable volunteer firefighters to perform their duties in a safer, more efficient manner have created additional challenges for fire service management as it attempts to develop the resources and facilities necessary to meet these requirements.

The operational needs of the fire district have also changed over the years according to the fire district and the current facility has limited space, and the fire district only owns a small portion of the real property behind its current building. The space needs of the fire district have caused the district to take such steps as utilizing a trailer for office space, having vehicle mechanics work in bays that also store fire apparatus and equipment, etc., and the board believes that these and many other needs can be addressed through this project.

This plan will not increase the number of active fire stations in the Jericho fire district. The fire district will still be served by two fire stations, but the headquarters or main station will be separate and apart from the operational and administrative facilities of the fire district.

The board said they realize that there are differences in opinion over whether or not this plan is necessary, and whether or not the objectives could be achieved in a different manner. There have also been differences of opinion on the board itself and within the fire department.

Over the years the board has fiscally planned to address these needs and the costs that would be associated with this type of project. Funds have been set aside in a capital reserve account to pay for the project. A bond issue will not have to be floated to pay for this project, and the real property taxes of local residents and commercial interests will not have to be increased in future years to pay for the cost of this construction project. However, the community has already been taxed for this project in the sense that taxes were raised in prior years as part of the planning to eventually make these changes.

The board also recognizes that additional operating costs will be encountered in operating three buildings instead of two, but believes that these costs may be balanced by the reductions in expenses that will be associated with avoiding the maintenance costs that are usually associated with older/aging facilities.

Questions have also been raised regarding the current fiscal climate that faces local residents. Nassau County and New York City face incredible deficits that will result in tax increases for their respective residents and commercial interests. The state government also faces difficult economic times because of the downturn in the economy and its impact on public revenue streams. According to the fire district, they have benefited by the fact that it is a separate governmental entity and political subdivision of the state with finances that are separate from town, county and state finances. Fire districts are not permitted to engage in deficit spending, and thus, do not end their fiscal years with deficits that require increased taxes in future years. The only revenue stream that a fire district has is the real property taxes that it collects. This revenue stream is more dependable than some of the revenue streams that are depended upon by county, city and state governments. Sales taxes and income taxes are greatly affected by downturns in the stock market and the economy with a consequent impact upon the governmental entities that plan upon and depend upon these revenue streams. For these reasons, the board is certainly concerned with the impact of the economy and other governmental units upon local residents, but they do not believe that these difficulties should impact upon a prudently developed and fiscally sound plan.

Many questions have arisen regarding the nature of and need for this project, and the board believes that this meeting will present an opportunity to explain the proposed plan, and the reasons for the plan. It will also provide an opportunity for those present to comment and ask questions regarding the plan.

It is the intention of the Board of Fire Commissioners to dispense with normal business and devote this meeting to this topic. Any pressing business that cannot await a subsequent meeting will be addressed at the start of the meeting, and the rest of the meeting will be spent on this topic.

The general public is welcome to attend the meeting, and encouraged to do so. Those present will be offered an opportunity to comment and ask questions.