Yonkers council approves budget transfers, accepts $975,768 firefighter grant and formalizes Westchester mutual‑aid pact

The Yonkers City Council on Oct. 14 unanimously approved a set of measures aimed at shoring up firefighting capability and formalizing regional response procedures.

The council adopted a special ordinance amending the City of Yonkers’ FY2025–26 budget to transfer funds between accounts to repair and refurbish existing firefighting motor vehicles because, as the chair explained, “it is not feasible to purchase new fire trucks in this market,” and “we're going to refurbish and fix some of the existing trucks.” The transcript does not specify the dollar amount moved in that budget amendment.

Council members also approved special warrants to add $975,768 in grant funding described in the agenda as a U.S. Department of Homeland Security "assistance to the firefighters" grant to the city’s FY2025–26 grant budget. The council’s summary said the funds will expand certain fire prevention programs and support firefighter health and safety research and development. There was no substantive debate recorded; the council chair closed discussion and the deputy clerk announced the vote as Adopted, 7–0.

Separately, the council voted to approve a resolution that formalizes operational procedures for mutual aid and a rapid response plan between the City of Yonkers and Westchester County. The resolution was presented and adopted with no discussion and recorded as Adopted, 7–0.

Votes at a glance • Ordinance amending FY2025–26 budget to repair/refurbish firefighting motor vehicles — Adopted, 7–0 (amount transferred not specified in the record). • Special warrants to add "assistance to the firefighters" grant funding — $975,768 — Adopted, 7–0. • Resolution approving intermunicipal mutual‑aid agreement with Westchester County — Adopted, 7–0.

Why it matters The actions preserve the city’s ability to maintain firefighting vehicles without procuring new apparatus in a constrained market, inject nearly $1 million for fire prevention and firefighter health and safety work, and formalize mutual‑aid procedures with Westchester County that could affect how the city and county coordinate during multi‑jurisdiction incidents.

What the record shows and what it does not The meeting record shows unanimous approval on each item and provides the $975,768 grant amount. The record does not specify the dollar amount transferred in the budget amendment for firefighting motor vehicles, and it uses inconsistent agency phrasing when describing the grant (see audit notes). The council did not engage in substantive debate on these items during the meeting.