Fire house controversy nears decision

By DAVID HULSE

LACKAWAXEN — They won’t say it officially until January 17, but the Lackawaxen Township Supervisors have decided to kill a proposed Lackawaxen Fire Department (LFD) firehouse substation in the Masthope development.

The decision will be based on a yet-to-be-adopted fire department ordinance, which was revealed at the supervisors on December 19 meeting.

The LFD filed a zoning conditional use permit application for the project early in the fall, raising immediate objections from the adjoining Central Fire Department (CFD) in Bohemia. Lackawaxen is approximately four miles from Masthope, while CFD is only a mile and half away. Both companies have members in Masthope and both solicit donations there. Several firefighters were on hand in anticipation of a decision at the December township meeting.

Without any pro or con indication, Stuart announced that the supervisors would be issuing a decision on the project at their January 17 meeting.

But the chairman tipped the board’s hand later in announcing publication of a proposed “Fire Company Ordinance #59.” He went on to detail several specific prohibitions for companies, including one that “no station or substation will be built outside its territorial limits.”

Stuart said those limits, drawn by an independent mediator, were mutually agreed on, after an exhausting negotiations, more than three years ago. The new ordinance will endorse those territorial limits that were designed “for the public safety, rather than any other causes,” Stuart said.

The supervisors will reorganize for 2002 on January 7 at 7:00 p.m.