FORMER FIREHOUSE FATE?

At the July 11 2007 Town Board meeting, representatives of the Gardiner Fire District turned out in force to ask Supervisor Zatz what the town boards’ intentions were concerning the former Firehouse/current library building on Station Square.

Years ago when the new firehouse on 44/55 was built, the fire district turned the old firehouse over to the town, with a handshake and a promise from then Supervisor George Majestic that if the town were to ever divest themselves of the building, the fire district would be given first consideration to take it back. Luke Lyons, representing the Gardiner Fire District, said that the group had sent a letter to the Town Board in March of 2005 regarding the building. In the letter, they specifically requested that if the library were ever to move from the current building into a new one, that the Fire District was interested in having the building returned to them. They also presented a copy of a letter back from Supervisor Zatz, acknowledging their letter and promising that their request would be “explored”.

At the last June Town Board Meeting, the Gardiner Library Board of Trustees president Barbara Sides made a request that the former firehouse be “transferred”, or given to them, so that they could in turn sell it and use the money as collateral for a mortgage. Sides estimated the value of the property at about $250K. At that meeting, Scott Mosher spoke up and recommended that the Fire District be consulted about any interest, historic or otherwise, that they might have in the building.

Lyons, along with other members of the Fire Department and district spokesmen expressed their upset that their 2005 request was being ignored, and that they were being bypassed in favor of passing the building to the library. Supervisor Zatz did not say anything about why he failed to mention the previous letter of request from the fire district. He would only assert that the town board was doing nothing to take any active role in determining the disposition of the building, in spite of having asked the library to prepare all of the paperwork necessary for the building transfer for the town board to review.

Joyce Alexander, a past library trustee and current fire district commissioner, also spoke out to bring up that the donation of property from the town to the Library Board of Trustees (not part of the town government) was not legal. Supervisor Zatz agreed with this, but that the library attorney could find a way to circumvent this law.

The town board ended up not acting on the library building transfer right away, but we're sure that the libarary still has the building in their sights....to be able to supplement their expensive new building. As much as it's a good thing for the town to have a new library, it shouldn't come at the expense of the fire department.

May 24th, 2008, tag sale do not forget. It will be held at the McCord's on 44/55. If you have any dishes, glass ware, bowls, furniture, tools, household goods, toys, sporting equipment, musical instruments, in good condition, we will pick up items if you need help in getting them to the McCords home. Please give us a call by May 20th!

font size="1" Please come join us for the Dick Clinton Chicken Barbecue, Saturday June 14, 2008,Serving from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. at Majestic Park. Tickets are $12.00 for Adults and $6.00 for children 10-14.