MIDDLEPORT — The village and the town of Royalton have reached an agreement to have the town head administration efforts for a benefits program for local volunteer firefighters.
Earlier this month, the Royalton Town Board passed a resolution to have the town operate the taxpayer-funded Length of Service Award Program for the Middleport Fire Protection District served by the Middleport Fire Department in addition to the town’s fire districts served by Terry’s Corners, Wolcottsville and Gasport Chemical Hose companies.
“We decided that rather than having each entity each do their own administration of the program, we all agreed to have the town take it on,” Royalton Supervisor Jeff Brown said.
Similar to a retirement program for volunteer firefighters, LOSAP provides compensation to members aged 65 years and older based on years of service with their fire company. The compensation is paid by property owners in the fire district. Residents in the town and village voted to institute the programs in their fire districts last year in September and December respectively.
Town and village officials also anticipate that it will eventually lead to savings on the program’s cost. Middleport Mayor Dan Dodge indicated that they are still waiting on approval from Gasport before that cost is determined.
“There’s been so many numbers thrown around, I don’t know what the final number is going to be. We’ve been taxing at our rate and I’m just sticking with that in my mind,” Dodge said.
Originally, the municipalities had planned to schedule one vote for all districts and have the town administer the duties but were unable to do so per state law, leading to separate referendums and an inter-municipal agreement.
Since Jan. 1, senior firefighters of those companies have been eligible to receive monthly payments.
The amount that a firefighter gets paid per month is based on a system of points earned for their length and extent of service with the fire company. A firefighter is eligible to receive benefits once they turn 65 and can receive up to $400 per month.
“Hopefully everything gets straightened out and all goes the way it should go. Our fire departments are already taking care of their points. Everybody’s using the system as it’s designed,” Dodge said.
The annual cost of the program in the Middleport fire district is approximately $70,000 for the first 10 years with a $1.27 per thousand increase in the village tax rate.
In Royalton’s two fire protection districts, the current annual program cost are approximately $117,000 and $42,000 with a 59-cent-per-thousand tax rate increase.