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Tivoli trustees postpone bond vote for firehouse expansion; public forum planned
Summary
Trustees removed a resolution authorizing serial bonds for the Tivoli Firehouse expansion from the Jan. 15 agenda and said they will schedule a public forum in February. Fire department leaders and residents described operational and safety shortcomings in the existing building and urged completion of the project after years of fundraising.
The Village of Tivoli Board of Trustees removed a previously filed resolution authorizing the issuance of serial bonds for the Tivoli Firehouse expansion from the Jan. 15 agenda and said the village will hold a public forum in early February to present cost details and solicit public input.
Village officials said they remain committed to the project but need additional information on cost implications and broader public engagement before authorizing borrowing. “We are still very committed to this firehouse project, but we just want to make sure that we roll this out properly with full, public engagement and information and with all the facts in hand,” a trustee said at the start of the meeting.
The public comment period that followed included extended remarks from the fire company’s leader and long-time residents who described operational limits in the existing station. The fire chief said the department has doubled in size and calls over the past five years and that the current building lacks showers, decontamination space and adequate vehicle and equipment storage. “This is an essential project that needs to get done,” the chief said, and added that volunteers need decontamination and shower facilities to reduce the risk of carrying contaminants home.
Speakers described practical impacts: trucks that “barely fit” in the bays, personal vehicles used to store gear, no emergency-shelter capacity and repeated community uses of the building during storms or other emergencies. Board members and residents said the project’s scope has grown since its initial estimate and that much local fundraising has already been completed; remaining costs were not specified at the meeting.
Trustees said they plan a public information forum in early February to explain financing options, program benefits and the project timetable so that residents can weigh tax implications and service improvements. Village officials asked the community to attend and said they would announce the forum date and location by email and on village channels.
No formal action to authorize bonds was taken at the Jan. 15 meeting. The item was explicitly pulled from the agenda to allow for further public engagement and more complete cost data; trustees said the bond resolution will be reconsidered after the public outreach and when final financing details are available.
The board and the fire company also discussed grant-seeking and equipment needs. The chief said the department pursues federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and other grant programs for turnout gear, radios and related equipment; a pending radio grant was described at the meeting as roughly $150,000, and the chief said additional Scott packs and other gear remain to be funded. Exact remaining project funding needs were not specified.
