DeWitt board schedules March public hearings on East Syracuse fire district, hires parks maintenance worker and sets June zoning map hearing

The Town of DeWitt Board voted to schedule joint public hearings on the East Syracuse Fire Protection District and to approve several personnel and administrative items at a meeting where public comment raised fire-protection and tenant-condition concerns.

The board set a joint public hearing for March 25 at 7 p.m. on a proposed dissolution of the East Syracuse Fire Protection District and, separately, scheduled a public hearing at the same date and time on an expansion of the fire district. The board also voted to schedule a public hearing on the James Street overlay zoning map for June 20 (06/20) at 6:20 p.m.

Why it matters: The hearings on the East Syracuse Fire Protection District begin the formal public process on potential governance and service changes that, according to a public commenter, could affect a large daytime and resident population in DeWitt. The James Street map hearing will accompany earlier local-law and definition hearings for the overlay.

Key votes and board actions

- Hire: The board approved making Sean Belcher a full-time parks maintenance laborer, at “step 10 at 22.82” (as stated in the meeting). The board recorded the worker’s official start date as the day after the meeting. The motion was made and carried by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

- Public hearings (fire district): A motion to schedule a public hearing on dissolution of the East Syracuse Fire Protection District for March 25 at 7 p.m. was moved (recorded as from Terry) and carried. A related motion to schedule a public hearing on expansion of the fire district for March 25 at 7 p.m. was recorded as moved by Jack and seconded by Carrie and carried.

- Zoning map: The board approved a motion from Max to set a public hearing for the James Street zoning map amendment on June 20 at 6:20 p.m.; the motion carried.

- Routine business: The board approved the minutes of Jan. 27 and accepted the February check registers; both measures passed by voice vote.

- Executive session: The board voted to enter executive session to discuss personnel and contracting issues; the motion was made by Sarah and carried.

Discussion and context

Board members framed the March 25 meetings as joint, evening hearings intended to make attendance easier for residents. Several public speakers urged the board to pause scheduling until an ongoing investigation into matters related to the fire district is complete; the record shows those requests were noted but the board proceeded with scheduling.

The meeting transcript does not record detailed roll-call vote counts for the items above; votes were recorded as carried by voice vote.

What’s next

The board will hold joint public hearings March 25 at 7 p.m. on both the dissolution and expansion items for the East Syracuse Fire Protection District and a June 20 hearing on the James Street overlay map. The board also moved into executive session for personnel and contracting matters and indicated further action could follow public and executive-session deliberations.