Residents pressure DeWitt officials after town awards northern fire contract; board cites request-for-proposals process

Residents of the northern part of the Town of DeWitt pressed the town board on Jan. 13 after officials said the town had solicited proposals and chosen a different provider for fire protection in the North Town area.

The debate centered on the town—s decision to pursue a request-for-proposals for fire protection services and the subsequent selection of a paid provider to serve the district. The change drew sharp criticism from long-time volunteers and residents, who said the move will reduce local staffing and knowledge of neighborhood buildings and could raise insurance costs for homeowners.

The dispute became public during the meeting—s comment period when Rosemary Gross, a resident of East Syracuse who said she and multiple family members have served as volunteers over generations, told the board: "We have 1 fire engine at that building. 1." Gross said the volunteer East Syracuse department has detailed knowledge of local commercial and institutional buildings and that replacing that local experience with a different staffing model would leave the community less prepared. She said the department historically inspected buildings, noted sprinkler and electrical locations and produced layouts crucial for emergency response.

Gross and other residents cited several specific concerns voiced during the meeting: staffing levels for daytime and nighttime shifts, whether the successful proposer would be able to train personnel in complex building layouts, and whether the contract covered fuel, equipment and apparatus upgrades. Gross questioned numbers cited in the procurement documents and said the proposal the town approved included provisions for two new fire trucks at a $4,000,000 price that residents did not expect.

Town representatives responding at the meeting described the process differently. A town representative told the room the board had elected to go to a request-for-proposals because the village of East Syracuse had sought materially higher compensation and the town needed to ensure continuous coverage while controlling costs. The town representative said a key factor was that, "Without a contract, we cannot provide fire service into that fire district," arguing the procurement and transition planning were necessary to avoid a lapse in coverage.

Residents pushed back on timing and transparency. Several speakers, including Gross, said the town did not respond to repeated invitations to negotiate and that notices arriving around the holidays limited opportunity for discussion. Gross said residents had received a December 28 notice that fire protection would be canceled as of Jan. 1 unless a new agreement was reached; town speakers said the contract situation and rollover provisions led to the timing.

Some residents raised insurance implications. Gross said she had a written statement from an insurance agent indicating rates could rise if the district—s ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating changed as a result of the staffing and apparatus changes. Other commenters said rescue and ladder capability would be diminished in certain parts of the district and asked how larger incidents or multiple simultaneous calls would be handled when mutual-aid responses were required.

Town staff and the board said the selected proposer would staff a station 24 hours per day with rotating full crews and that the selection reflected the board—s assessment of coverage and long-term cost implications. The town also said some sale or transfer of Station 2 to the selected provider was included in contract contingencies tied to special tax-zone negotiations; the town representative said details and final terms remained to be negotiated and were contingent on establishing reasonable rates for affected residents.

Several board members and staff offered to meet with East Syracuse Fire Department representatives to explore hybrid models or shared-management plans. At the meeting a town official said they would be willing to "sit down and listen" and discussed scheduling follow-up negotiation sessions in February or March.

The public comment period closed after extended remarks from residents and an announcement that the board would move other business forward. The board later entered executive session to continue contract discussions with staff.

Why it matters: The northern district covers roughly 19 square miles of suburban and commercial areas, including hotels, manufacturers and portions of major corridors. Changes in provider, apparatus and staffing can affect response times, insurance ratings, and long-standing volunteer service arrangements.

Next steps: Town officials said contract details, including apparatus ownership and any sale of town property, remain subject to negotiation and final approval. Officials also offered to meet with volunteer leaders and East Syracuse representatives to pursue transitional or hybrid service arrangements.