NCVFA Legislative and Quarterly Meeting

Attending this meeting were James Bacalles 136th Assembly District and Jan Van De Car assistant legislative representative. This meeting was very informative scheduled for an hour it lasted ninety minutes.

First - all pending changes making it easier for a local government to dissolve a volunteer fire department or fire districts have been removed by the governor.

Highlights:

Health Insurance Initiative- would allow volunteers to be covered by the town’s health coverage and paid for by the volunteer.

Recruitment scholarships- allow four year scholarships for more then one member in a Fire Department.

Youth on the fire grounds- Assemblymen Bacalles stated he thinks this bill will not be passed because of down state political dislike of the Boy Scouts of America.

Personal Income Tax Credit Supplement- they are attempting to raise it yearly. Reminder you have to file a state tax form for credit. You should have received your credit.

Elimination of exemption for seat belts use- Trying to make a ruling making the use of a seatbelt not necessary in the rear of ambulance but needs to be worn in all other seats in any emergency vehicle. Greece Ridge Fire Dept. was just given an award for making seat belt use mandatory in all vehicles.

This is just a sampling of proposed actions. All legislation progress can be checked on the FASNY web-site.

Quarterly Meeting NCVFA Himrod, NY 4/7/08

October Banquet- Quality Inn Newark, NY.

NCVFA convention meetings on June 6-7 will be held at the Rainbow Cove they will serve a noon lunch for $8.00 each. This is a short walk from the Showboat Motel.

Explorer’s- There has been two weekends for Explorer training scheduled one in July and one in August at the Sate Fire Academy.

FASNY- has a new “Candle Fire Safety Brochure” available.

NCVFA Firemen of the Year Award- no applications received.

Mr. Ted Sommers -attended this meeting looking fit after his long sickness. He thanked all for their cards and kind thoughts.

Elections NCVFA- All officers are running as incumbents with the exception of the second vice president and a candidate is needed for this position.

Steve Grandusky reported that $3,600 had been collected for the “Red VerWeire Scholarship Fund”. And still will take donations.

Do you want to make money? The Fairville Fire Department Prepared and sold 8,000 fish fries averaging 1,200 a night during the event. Fifty people worked on this fund raiser. Where there is a lot of wills there is a way.

Northern Central needs a September 2008 meeting place and a 2009 convention location.

51 men and 30 ladies in attendance.

Respectfully,

Gordon Burris