FIRE COMMISSIONERS MEETING
JANUARY 21,2008
The Commissioners of the Clermont Fire District held their organizational meeting on
Monday, January 21, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the Town Hall. Those present were Ronald
Rifenburgh, Charles Larsen, Harry Harned, Brandon Seymour, Ronald Seymour, Larry
Saulpaugh, Denise Fiore and Tracey Gallant.
Chairman Ronald Rifenburgh called the meeting to order at 7PM with the Pledge of
Allegiance.
Treasurer Denise Fiore presided for initial resolution to nominate Chairman.
Resolution #1–08 - Appointment of Chairman
Commissioner Larsen nominated Ronald Rifenburgh. Nomination seconded by
Commissioner Harned. No further nominations. All in favor. So carried.
Resolution #2-08 - Appointment of Vice Chairman
Chairman Rifenburgh made motion nominating Charles Larsen Seconded by
Commissoner Harned. No further nominations. All in favor. So carried.
Resolution #3-08 - Appointment of Secretary
Commissioner Larsen made motion to nominate Mary Shannon seconded by
Commissioner Harned. All in favor. So carried. Secretary salary to be $2000. per year.
Resolution #4-08 - Appointment of Treasurer
Commissioner Larsen made motion to nominate Denise Fiore seconded by Commissioner
Seymour. All in favor. So carried. Treasurer salary to be $2000. per year
Resolution #5-08 - Official newspaper
Motion made by Commissioner Larsen to retain the Registar Star seconded by
Commissioner Harned. All in favor. So Carried.
Resolution #6-08 - Official Bank
Motion made by Commissioner Harned to retain First Niagara. Seconded by
Commissioner Seymour. All in favor. So carried.
Resolution #7-08 - Location, Date and Time of Commissioner’s regular monthly
meeting. Motion made by Commissioner Larsen to keep the 3rd Monday monthly,
7PM at the Clermont Town Hall. Motion Seconded by Commissioner Harned. All in
favor. So carried.
Resolution #8-08 - Authorizing Prepayment of bills. Motion made by Commissioner
Larsen that Utilities such as Fuel Oil, Electric, Phone and Rent can be paid prior to
authorization from the Commissioners. Treasurer requested to include a note with the
Fuel oil bill that it is made out to the Clermont Fire District. Motion seconded by
Commissioner Harned. All in favor. So carried.
Resolution #9-08 - Appointment of Attorney
Commission Harned made motion to appoint Andrew Howard with Freeman-Howard
PC. Motion seconded by Commissioner Larsen. All in Favor. So carried.
Resolution #10-08 - Appointment of Accountant.
Resolution #11-08 - Appointment of Committees
Motion made by Commissioner Harned that all appointments remain the same for 2008
as in 2007. Motion seconded by Commissioner Larsen. All in favor. So carried.
Motion made to adjourn organizational meeting at 7:07 P.M. by Commissioner Larsen.
Motion seconded by Commissioner Harned. All in favor. So Carried.
FIRE COMMISSIONERS MEETING
JANUARY 21, 2008
The Commissioners of the Clermont Fire District held their regular monthly meeting,
following the organizational meeting, on Monday, January 21, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the
Clermont Town Hall. Those present were Ronald Rifenburgh, Charles Larsen, Harry
Harned, Brandon Seymour, Ray Bauer, Ronald Seymour, Larry Saulpaugh, Denise Fiore
and Tracey Gallant.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Rifenburgh at 7:10 PM.
Motion made by Charles Larsen to accept December’s minutes as is. Motion seconded
by Commissioner Harned. All in favor. So carried.
Report given by the Treasurer: Lockers are $3200. Leaving a $500.00 balance. The
lockers have not arrived as of yet. Chief Saulpaugh will check on an expected delivery.
These should be paid out of 2007 budget. Motion made by Commissioner Larsen that the
bill is paid upon receipt of the lockers. Motion seconded by Commissioner Harned. All
in Favor. So carried.
Motion made by Commissioner Harned to accept Treasurers report. Motion seconded by
Commissioner Seymour. All in favor. So carried.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Application for new membership received for Jeff Vucich. Application completed with
vote from Fire Company by Commissioner Harned. Application approved by Fire
Company. Chairman Rifenburgh read application to all commissioners present. Motion
by Commissioner Larsen to accept application. Motion seconded by Commissioner
Seymour. Secretary to send acceptance letter and physical form stating acceptance of
active membership upon completion of physical.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: Nothing to report
EQUIPMENT:
604 rear scene lights being repaired. M60 repaired
.
INSURANCE:
Commissioner Larsen met with Ms. Flanigan of VFIS to review policies. She will send a
quote. Motion made by Commissioner Larsen that a 3 year policy is elected. Motion
seconded by Commissioner Harned. Discussion: Gathering quotes on a yearly basis is
very time consuming for commissioners Bauer and Larsen. A courtesy call should be
made to Fingar insurance. All quotes will be reviewed. Insurance will need to be
selected at the February meeting. Secretary to send Fingar Insurance, Kleeber Agency
and VFIS request for proposal for 3 year policy. Can be reviewed every year, however,
will not need to be changed every year. All in favor after discussion. So carried.
Commissioner Harned will need to contact Ms.Flanigan in regards to Firehouse
Insurance.
MILAN FIRE: Clermont pays Milan to cover areas of district. Certificate of Insurance
will be needed from them. Secretary to request copy from Milan. Commissioiner
Rifenburgh will contact Livingston Fire commissioners in regards to Fire district areas,
payments and taxing directly.
LOSAP: Information is supplied from the computer program by Harry. He enters the
miscellaneous information.
Tom McCarthy has the call sheets. Larry to contact Tom to find the information so that
it can be reported regularly. Original sheets for fires/drills/meetings should remain in
Firehouse locked up. Copies may be used for data entry into system. Year end files
should be given to commissioners for filing in cabinet.
Point system was explained to the commissioners as established by the Clermont Fire
Department membership. Although the State minimum rules, Clermont adopted their
own requirements as well. After 5 years you are fully vested. After 10 years Chairman
Rifenburgh thinks this should be reviewed to see that it is working and paying out
appropriately. A lot of money has been paid out over the years and the commissioners
want to see that the program is beneficial to the younger membership as well as the older.
At this time the system does not seem to increase the number of drills and fire calls being
made by members. Each commissioner is to review paperwork provided. Further
comments will be heard at the February meeting.
LAWS AND POLICIES:
Fire commsioners training program; Ray Bauer is the first member to be required to take
this class. Class being held in Copake for 4 hours on a Saturday. District will pay for
participation. Secretary to complete paperwork for Ray Bauer's entrance to class. Each
commissioner will be required to take this class upon election or re-election. A motion
was made by Commissioner Larsen that a check be made out in advance and sent with
the application in the amount of $125.00. Motion seconded by Commissioner Seymour.
All in favor. So carried.
OLD BUSINESS:
Drivers List–Training to be completed by next commissioner's meeting which will be
held on February 18th. Any driver not completing training will be removed from driver’s
list until training is completed.
Lost pager- Don VanWagner has not located the lost pager. Per Commissioner Larsen a
letter stating how the pager was lost will need to be submitted prior to receiving a
replacment. Insurance will not replace without this letter and a receipt for replacement.
Dennis Palazzo–Need equipment and pager by next meeting. Bruce Potts will attempt to
get from Dennis.
Floyd Moore–Cannot locate pager.
State reports–Previously completed by Tom McCarthy.Call reports will now be entered
by Commissioner Seymour's wife Brenda. Technical questions will be answered with
assistance from Commissioner Seymour. She should be compensated for entering
reports? Compensation to be taken from the Chiefs budget. Payment to be $10.00 per
state report, paid quarterly. Motion by Commissioner Harned. Motion seconded by
Commissioner Bauer. Chief Saulpaugh to supply information to Treasurer for payment.
A copy of the report to be supplied to the commsioners regularly. Commissioner
Seymour will contact Tom McCarthy to get computer program. All in favor. So carried.
Chiefs report–No year-end report available at this time. Chief to get the information and
supply at next months meeting.
Invoices and packing slips–Every bill must have packing slip or must be signed and noted
what account to be paid from. Need a copy of the contract for rental.
Each month the treasurer is requested to put a running total of capital fund on her report.
NEW BUSINESS:
Treasurer requested petty cash in the amount of $50.00 total for stamps etc. Motion made
by Commissioner Larsen. Seconded by Commissioner Harned. All in favor. So carried.
Treasurer to exchange receipts to replenish petty cash.
Audit–Germantown has used auditor Mark Fitzgerald from Stuyvesant. Treasurer given
contact information and should contact auditor and schedule an appointment to review
books. Discussion: The auditors fee is unknown at this time. Denise to ask about fee
and accept $1500. Any larger amount to be brought back to the commissioners for
approval. This auditor supplies a very detailed report. Motion made by Commissioner
Bauer, seconded by Commissioner Larsen. The Chairman will contact commissioners if
the amount is set to exceed $2000. All in favor. So carried.
Code of Ethics–Supplied to all commissioners– Every fire company also needs to adopt
them by June 2007. www.firedistnys.com login:1266 Password c1266zc. To be read
and approved or amended at February commissioners meeting. Secretary will fill in the
blanks upon acceptance by commissioners.
Volunteer Firefighter Credit : NYS allows a $200.00 credit for income tax.
OFFICERS:
Letter from Fire company stating newly elected officers.
Chief Larry Saulpaugh
1st Assistant Chief Ron Seymour
2nd Assistant Chief Bruce Potts
1st Lieutenant Brandon Seymour
2nd Lieutenant Ted Blank
Captain Thomas McCarthy.
All positions accepted with exception of the captain’s position. This will be discussed at
February meeting in further detail.
Motion to accept by Commissioner Larsen, seconded by Commissioner Bauer. All in
favor. So carried.
Joe Franco called in regards to borrowing gun from brush truck for Poughkeepsie. Asst.
Chief Seymour will make a note on the board when it is loaned out. Approved by
Commisioners with no objections.
Missing Chainsaw– What policy is in place for members borrowing equipment? There is
no policy. There have been no problems in the past. New policy should be instituted.
Minimum requirement that line officer needs to approve loan and should be signed out.
Line officer will be responsible to see that it is returned in condition that it was loaned
out in. Motion by Commissioner Seymour that this will be the policy effective
immediately. Motion seconded by Commissioner Harned. All in favor. So Carried.
Secretary to write policy which will be placed in the " New policy book"
All members to review past minutes make notes to address policies. These policies will
also be instituted.
· Loaning tools/equipment etc
· Physicals
CHIEFS REPORT:
Serious Automobile accident 2 weeks ago. Chief had portable radio problems. Sean
Smith found problem with Chiefs antenna. Chief replaced two (2) antenna’s. There is a
need for additional strobe lights for helicopter landing. Four (4) strobe lights requested.
No blankets were available at the scene. The Chief ordered two (2) boxes of disposable
blankets. One box will be placed at each station. Gear racks are on order.
Service on Trucks for 2008—Commissioner's Bauer and Seymour will be responsible.
Records to be kept on each truck at firehouse.
Pricing from 3 competitors. Ralphs–(Commissioner Bauer), MES (Commissioner
Seymour ) and VRS(Chairman Rifenburgh)
Pumpers: Service engine oil and transfer cases yearly. Service transmissions every other
year. All Filters. Air filters if needed. Start fresh this year with all
equipment. Reports back from each competitor by February meeting for pricing.
Updated inventory to be supplied by the Chief at February's meeting.
New pagers: Two new pagers at $350 each. $100 Deductible per pager from insurance.
Red lights/siren for Assistant Chief Pott's car 3: $450.00
Total requests ~ $1200.00. Motion made to approve the above purchases by
Commissioner Bauer, Seconded by Commissioner Larsen. All in favor. So carried.
Payment of monthly Bills: Motion to pay bills by Commissioner Larsen, seconded by
Commissioner Bauer. All in favor. So carried.
Copy of Live Fire Training to be held at Town Hall. Only copy purchased. Copies will
be made for Chief Saulpaugh and Assistant Chief Ron Seymour.
Motion to adjourn at 9:25 by Commissioner Larsen, seconded by Commissioner Bauer.
All in favor. So carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Tracey Gallant
In absence of Secretary
Meeting: