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Home My WebLink About25-04-14 Fire District Minutes DRAFT DANBY FIRE DISTRICT MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING April 14 10, 2026 Commissioner Westmiller called the regular meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. ATTENDANCE: COMMISSIONERS: OFFICERS: Kevin Faehndrich (Absent) Joseph Freedman Charlotte Griggs Marvin Oltz Wayne Westmiller Sharon Gaden, Secretary, Deputy Treasurer John Gaden, Danby Fire Chief Robert McCray, West Danby Fire Chief Ken VanEtten, West Danby 1st Asst. Chief Call to Order Bid openings: • Lawn mowing: Requests for proposals was published in the Ithaca Journal, Danby News, Danby Town News, Facebook pages for Fire Companies. Received three proposals. o Driscoll Property Services: $14,000.00 for season at both stations, weekly mowing of each and whatever is needed. o David Thomas & Son Excavating & Landscaping, LLC: $200.00 per mowing at Danby Station and $225.00 per mowing at West Danby Station. o WeMow lawn care for Danby Station $78.15 each time and West Danby Station at $87.45 each time. Commissioner Freedman made a motion to accept bid proposal from We Mow to mow Danby Station at $78.15 per mowing and West Danby Station at $87.45 per mowing for the 2025 mowing season. Commissioner Griggs seconded. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Minutes: Preliminary minutes for March 10, 2026, Regular Meeting were sent to the Town Clerk on March 24, 2026, for posting to Town’s website and posted on District Website. Commissioner Westmiller moved to approve the minutes of the March 10, 2026, Regular Meeting with revision to Resolution 2026-03- 10.2 to read from General Operating Account not from Contingency Account. Motion seconded by Commissioner Oltz. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Treasurer’s Report: • Emailed Financial Reports to Commissioners/Secretary/Chiefs o Balance Sheet o Profit and Loss o Equipment (100/200) o Fuel • NYS 45 filed to be paid 4/15 • 941 IRS to be submitted 4/15 • PERMA – 1st Qtr. Payroll Audit submitted • PERMA – 2025 Payroll audit completed Commissioner Westmiller moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Communications: • Com. Oltz submitted his Commissioner Training Certificate. • Email from NY State Association of Fire Chiefs – Fire Expo 2026 is June 10-13 in Syracuse • Email from PERMA – Board of Directors Appointment • Email from NYClass Collateral Report • Email from AFDSNY 2026 Mini summit March 27-28 in White Plains NY • Email from Central Region – Symposium at NYS Fairgrounds on May 20th. • Email and letter from AFDSNY – Region 4 Director Opening • Email from PERMA New diagnostic vendor • Email from NYS Chief Association – The NYSAFC Bugle newsletter • Email from PERMA Annual Members Conference 2026 May 14 & 15 at Turning Stone • Email about preventative cancer screening program April 29 & 30 (12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) at Nedrow Fire Department • Email from NYS Archives – monthly newsletter • Email from PERMA Acting on Universal Authorization • Email from Central Region – next meeting Monday April 27th at Cicero Fire District, dinner at 6:30, meeting at 7:00 p.m. • Email from PERMA – registration deadline for annual conference • Email from PERMA – April monthly newsletter • Email from NYCLASS – collateral report • Emails from AFDSNY – Cheektowaga Mini Summit May 15-16 Privilege of the Floor: NONE APPROVAL OF BILLS: Commissioner Freedman moved to pay the vouchers as audited and approved on Operating Account Abstract 4-A $9,924.32 claims 78- 95 and on Operating Account Abstract 4-B $7,132.43 claims 96-103. Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. CHIEF’S REPORTS: DVFC: (Chief Gaden) • Written report for March was received. • Submitted letter from Fire Company secretary with members approved on a probationary level at the April 6, 2026, company meeting: Zhangjingyi Jian, Elie Piha and John M. Seeber. • Station Usage: 04/16/26 magic club; 04/18/26 Tree Nut Growers meeting; 05/02/26 Resilience Fair; 05/06/26 Rabies Clinic; 05/07/26 Medieval Dance Group; 05/15/26 Red Cross Blood Drive; 05/19/26 ISCD Vote and Doug’s Fish Fry; 05/21/26 magic club; 05/23/26 Dan Klein plant exchange under pavilion; 06/13/26 Paula Wegner Celebration of Life; 08/29/26 Barbara Robinson for Celebration of Life. • Training Request: S. Sauer NYS Officer Development – Fireground Strategies and Tactics for First Arriving Companies– next Fire Officer I module at Tompkins County Fire Training Center 05/21/26 – 06/06/26, requesting $72.50 for mileage reimbursement. E. Marx and M. Metz EVOC beginning 06/01/26 (need paperwork); M. Watson and A. Isom EVOC Training in Cayuga County (need paperwork) will be driving 442, no reimbursement. • Projector project is complete. Commissioner Westmiller moved to accept station usage of 04/16/26 magic club; 04/18/26 Tree Nut Growers meeting; 05/02/26 Resilience Fair; 05/06/26 Rabies Clinic; 05/07/26 Medieval Dance Group; 05/15/26 Red Cross Blood Drive; 05/19/26 ISCD Vote and Doug’s Fish Fry; 05/21/26 magic club; 05/23/26 Dan Klein plant exchange under pavilion; 06/13/26 Paula Wegner Celebration of Life; 08/29/26 Barbara Robinson for Celebration of Life. Commissioner Griggs seconded the motion. 4 yes 0 no. Motion carried. Commissioner Westmiller moved to accept Changing Jian, Elie Piha, and John M. Seeber as new members pending satisfactory physicals. Commissioner Griggs seconded the motion. 4 yes 0 no. Motion carried. Commissioner Freedman made a motion to accept training request for S. Sauer NYS Officer Development – Fireground Strategies and Tactics for First Arriving Companies– next Fire Officer I module at Tompkins County Fire Training Center 05/21/26 – 06/06/26, requesting $72.50 for mileage reimbursement. E. Marx and M. Metz EVOC beginning 06/01/26 (need paperwork); M. Watson and A. Isom EVOC Training in Cayuga County (need paperwork) will be driving 442, no reimbursement. Commissioner Griggs seconded motion. 4 yes 0 no. Motion carried. WDFC: (Chief McCray) • No written report for February or March were received. • Secretary Gaden reminded Chief McCray to have Fire Company secretary submit letter for B. Lovelace. • Station usage: 04/26/26 having a chicken BBQ at Eagles Club; 05/09/26 West Danby Cemetery Association meeting in the morning; and 05/16/26 Hunter Wright for baby shower. • Building upgrade: 1st Asst. Ken Van Etten asked for approval to remove old paper towel and toilet paper dispensers and install new ones. Discussion followed. • Fuel tank is at E&V but has not been delivered to station yet. • Has ordered Starlink mounting equipment. Commissioner Freedman moved to accept West Danby request for the following station usage: 04/26/26 having a chicken BBQ at Eagles Club; 05/09/26 West Danby Cemetery Association meeting in the morning; and 05/16/26 Hunter Wright for baby shower. Commissioner Westmiller seconded the motion. 4 yes 0 no. Motion carried. COMMITTEES: PURCHASING: NONE BUILDING/GROUNDS: • Chief Gaden reported the plumber went to West Danby and installed a new toilet. • Treasurer Hart reported the water bill for the West Danby station for the 1st quarter was less than it has been in years. Discussion held. • West Danby’s kitchen hood suppression is repaired. • 1st Asst. Chief Ken VanEtten discussed potholes in front of truck bay; he was asked to reach out to the Town Highway Supervisor. • Commissioner Westmiller reported emails have gone out to the architect regarding floor and concrete work project. GRANTS: NONE INSURANCE: • June 1, 2026, seminar at 7:00 at the Danby Station for all members/commissioner who would like to attend. TECH: NONE TRUCKS: • 442 went to Admiral and had stokes basket compartment revamped and an outlet added TOWN BOARD: • Com. Freedman reported we did not receive any electric bill from the Town of Danby RECORDS: • Physicals were done last night; 53 members had physicals. Secretary read list of those members till needing a physical. POLICY: NONE MEMBERSHIP/TRAINING: NONE LONG RANGE PLAN: NONE AUDIT: NONE BUDGET: NONE OLD BUSINESS: NONE NEW BUSINESS: NONE APPROVALS of TRAININGS, ITEMS OR SERVICES TO BE PURCHASED: Commissioner Westmiller made a motion to pay invoice received from Napa Auto for $24.97. Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Griggs made a motion to pay invoice from Meridian Training $795.00 for Ice/Cold Water Rescue Training. Motion seconded by Commissioner Freedman. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. (split between Danby and West Danby Training budgets) Commissioner Griggs made a motion to pay invoice from Admiral Specialty Vehicle $360.00 for work on 442. Motion seconded by Commissioner Freeman. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. (account for 442 maintenance) Commissioner Griggs made a motion to pay invoice from Climate Control for $610.00 for repair of exhaust fan at Danby Station. Motion seconded by Commissioner Westmiller. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. (Danby Building Maintenance Account) Commissioner Freedman made a motion to pay the invoice from Intuit Quick Books for annual renewal in the amount of $1,768.00 Motion seconded by Commissioner Oltz. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Griggs made a motion to pay the invoices from Starlink for $65.00 monthly fee and up to $200.00 for additional hardware. Motion seconded by Commissioner Westmiller. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Westmiller made a motion to pay Computer Room up to $350.00 to install the additional hardware for Starlink. Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Freedman made a motion to pay up to $2,000.00 for the replacement of 2 valves on 401 by Wards Apparatus. Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Westmiller made a motion to pay the invoice for Cintas in the amount of $1,075.00 for the repair of West Danby ‘s Kitchen Hood Suppression. Motion seconded by Commissioner Oltz. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Freedman made a motion to approve the purchase of an additional monitor the 1st Asst. Chief D. Saracino (combined for 2 monitors from Staples approval is up to $250.00). Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Westmiller made a motion to approve the purchase of 5 combi tools for brush fires up to $900.00 by Chief Gaden (obtaining quotes now). Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Oltz made a motion to approve the visage purchase of $114.76 for life vest bag from Fire Store. Motion seconded by Commissioner Westmiller. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Note green forms were submitted for the following purchases that were previously approved: Pagers through Department of Emergency Response (under state contract) in the amount of $2,094.00 (prior approval $2,250.00). Incident Command Boards from Comat Ready Fire Equipment in the amount of $862.00 (prior approval of $950.00) 12 pairs of fire gloves ($1,295.00) and 10 pairs of extrication gloves ($340.00) total of $1,635.00 (prior approval $1,800) four 10’ 6” suction hose previously approved $2,800.00, actual cost $3,230.00. Commissioner Griggs made a motion to approve an additional $500.00 to purchase the hose. Motion seconded by Commissioner Freedman. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Griggs made a motion to approve to pay the invoice from WPSG for 4 rescue helmets in the amount of $551.02. Motion seconded by Commissioner Oltz. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Westmiller made a motion to increase the prior approval of $3,600.00 for 9 helmets (for Danby) and 1 helmet (for West Danby) from Firematic by $1,150.00 (total to be $4,750.00). Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Griggs made a motion to approve the purchase of 6 pairs of boots from Colden Fire by Chief Gaden. Motion seconded by Commissioner Freedman. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Westmiller made a motion to purchase 3 fire vests from Colden Fire up to $500.00. Motion seconded by Commissioner Oltz. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Westmiller made a motion to approve up to $72.50 for mileage reimbursement to S. Sauer for the NYS Officer Development – Fireground Strategies and Tactics for First Arriving Companies– next Fire Officer I module at Tompkins County Fire Training Center 05/21/26 – 06/06/26. Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Westmiller moved to approve the purchase of turn-out gear for West Danby in the amount of $12,779.40 from Fire End. Motion seconded by Commissioner Freedman. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Freedman made a motion to approved up to $800.00 for the purchase of 4 handsfree paper towel dispensers (kitchen, apparatus bay and 2 restrooms) and 3 toilet paper holders from B&W Supply. Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Griggs made a motion to pay the visa charge from Starlink (Chief McCray’s account) in the amount of $54.00 for hardware/pipe adapter. Motion seconded by Commissioner Oltz. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Commissioner Westmiller made a motion to approve the purchase of CPR Instructor book(s) from HSI in the amount of $40.74. Motion seconded by Commissioner Griggs. Motion carried 4 yes 0 no. Next Meeting date and time: • 04/28/26 at 6:30 – cancelled • 05/12/26 at 6:30 – regular meeting Meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Gaden Secretary