Can Roslyn Afford Contract Payments?

The Village of Roslyn and both Roslyn Rescue and Roslyn Highlands are at odds over the annual contract payment, one that allows for the fire companies to provide fire protection and EMS services for the Roslyn community.
At issue are the allocated fees that flow from the village to the fire companies.
Roslyn Mayor John Durkin said that significant increases in the fire service bill are because Nassau County changed its assessment formula. From 2017 to 2023, the village’s fire services bill increased by 48.2 percent.
Durkin added that the village did not shirk its responsibilities, paying, in both 2022 and 2023, the amount due to the companies. Durkin also noted that the Executive Board of the fire companies has filed a lawsuit against the village.
The fire companies maintained that the village has not paid their full portion of the allocated bills for 2022 nor have the fire companies received a completed 2023 contract.
The fire companies added that such actions have caused severe distress to their ability to operate.
Here are the texts of the letters, starting with the fire companies.
“As you may already know your home and surrounding community is provided fire protection and emergency medical services by The Roslyn Highlands Hook & Ladder, Engine & Hose Co. and Rescue Hook & Ladder Co. #1 of Roslyn, collectively known as the Roslyn Fire Companies,” it began.
“The…companies are all-volunteer departments, each of them with well over a century of history and operate primarily based on funding provided by…respective villages and towns, which in turn, charge you certain property taxes related to the protection.”
“The Roslyn Fire Companies provide services to one of the largest fire protection districts in Nassau County, with one of the lowest relative costs in comparison to surrounding districts…With respect to the Village of Roslyn, they have not paid their full portion of the allocated fees related to the 2022 fiscal year, nor did we receive the completed 2023 contract. As a result, we are now facing a critical financial situation that requires your attention and support.”
“Our volunteer firefighters are the backbone of our country’s safety and well-being. They dedicate their time, energy, and resources to ensure that you are protected from fire and EMS-related emergencies. They put their lives on the line to keep you safe and secure, and they do so without expecting anything in return.
“However, the decision by your village officials to refuse payment to our Fire District is causing severe distress to the department’s ability to operate. Without this critical funding, our firefighters will not be able to access essential equipment, such as new protective gear and firefighting apparatus, nor will they be able to afford the necessary training and education required to perform their jobs.
“We would encourage you to reach out to your elected officials to inquire of their rationale behind not honoring their obligations, express your concern about the situation, urge them to reconsider their decision and allocate the necessary funds to support and keep your home and community safe and protected. We urge all residents to come together and support our volunteer firefighters during this challenging time. We ask that you simply spread the word about our plight. Every little bit helps, and your support can make a significant difference in our community’s safety and well-being.”
And the mayor’s response.
“We all recently received a letter from the Roslyn Fire Companies claiming that the Village has refused to pay our bill for fire services,” Durkin’s letter began. “The Fire Companies failed to share with you the basis of our disagreement which I know you will find helpful to a full understanding of the dispute.
“For years the Fire Companies billed the Village using Nassau County’s assessment formula. While this may not have been the perfect methodology, it was generally agreed to and accepted by the participating villages and towns. In 2021, the County changed how they assessed properties and this change caused the Fire Companies to increase our bill an astounding 48.2 percent. Keep in mind that there had been no material changes to the Village, only some technical changes of categorizing properties by the County. We are no larger or more difficult to protect from fire than we were in 2020. The only change was the County’s method of assessment, which resulted in some villages, twice our size, seeing a reduction in cost, while ours skyrocketed by 48.2 percent.
To put this increase in context, between the years 2017 through 2021, the fire protection contract payment for Roslyn comprised between 9 and 10 percent of the total Village Budget. However, in 2022, because of the changes made by Nassau County in its property assessment calculations, Roslyn’s payment increased to a whopping 14 percent of its total budget. In 2020, Roslyn was responsible for 15.06 percent of the Fire Companies’ budget. In 2021, one year later, Roslyn’s share of the Fire Companies’ budget rose to 21.37 percent. It just does not make sense. While the Fire Companies have been able to drastically increase their budgets year after year, 4 percent in 2022 and 6 percent in 2023, the Village, pursuant to New York State law, is required to adhere to the 2 percent Tax Cap law. If we adhere to sound fiscal management, are we wrong to ask the Fire Companies to do the same?
Each year when we prepare the budget, we set aside the expected monies to be paid to the Fire Companies. For 2021, we anticipated a total cost for fire services of $558,956 which was keeping in line with the usual charge. We were astounded to see a bill for almost $800,000. When we called to discuss this, we were told that’s the number and they were not open to discussing it with us. We have made numerous attempts to sit down with the Fire Companies and achieve a more equitable solution. They are adamant that they will not work out a fair resolution despite the fact that they know that Roslyn’s proportionate share of the Fire Companies’ budget has been mistakenly set at an amount far in excess from the previous years.
“To demonstrate our commitment to the Fire Companies, in 2022 we paid the amount due from the previous year plus 4 percent to cover increased costs. We did the same this year, but included the 6 percent increase that they were asking. We are committed to funding the Fire Companies and in no way have any issue with their services or the dedication of the brave and hardworking volunteers who make up the heart and soul of the organization. This is only a money matter, based on what we consider some antiquated accounting practices that the Executive Board of the Fire Companies has dug its heels into. In their unwillingness to discuss this matter, that Board has brought an action against our village. It is our opinion that this is a mistake on their part, one of the many they seem to make with alarming regularity. We will vigorously defend our position, because we feel we have an obligation to the taxpayers of this Village to shield them from such rapacious activity.
“Please be aware that this lawsuit in no way jeopardizes the Village’s safety. We have been assured that Fire Companies’ responses will continue unabated. It would be unlawful for them not to. I also believe that the men and women who volunteer their time and energy want only to be of service to our residents and understand their responsibilities, perhaps better than their officers. For this we are truly grateful and appreciative for their dedication and bravery.
“If you have questions about the Fire Companies’ budget or this action in particular, we will be glad to answer them,” the letter concluded.