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Mamakating board agrees to help pay for portable bridge standpipes after volunteer fire company presentation
Summary
After a presentation from Westville Fire Company chief Bo Tuno on water‑access challenges, the Mamakating town board approved support for two bridge‑mounted portable standpipe systems and asked staff to finalize vendor paperwork and payment routing.
The Mamakating Town Board voted on Aug. 19 to provide financial assistance toward two portable, bridge‑mounted standpipe systems after a presentation from Bo Tuno, chief of the Westville Fire Company.
Tuno told the board that many parts of the Westbrookville/Westville service area lack standing water and that changes to the Pine Kill since the 2004 flood have made drafting operations harder and more hazardous for volunteers. "Anybody that doesn't know me, I'm Bo Tuno from the Westville Fire Company, uh chief of the department currently," he said. He described a system that stows on a bridge and can be lowered into the water by two firefighters for drafting, and said the vendor quoted roughly $6,000 per bridge for the mounting system and installation.
Board members pressed on materials, weight and maintenance. A resident urged the town to use stainless steel piping; a board member and the presenter said stainless steel would add several hundred pounds and likely require additional engineering and county DPW sign‑off. The presenter said the vendor's design and the chosen sites were intended to minimize permanent in‑stream hardware and to reduce the chance of flood damage.
The board discussed whether the town should pay the vendor directly or route funds through the fire protection district rather than the not‑for‑profit company. Town staff said they had received written quotes and other supporting materials and would handle procurement and coordination with Sullivan County Department of Public Works.
A motion to provide town assistance for the project was made by a board member and seconded by another; the motion passed. The board instructed staff to finalize details with the fire company and vendor, including whether the payment would be made to the fire protection district rather than the company itself.
Tuno said the systems could have useful lifespans of 15–20 years and that volunteer personnel would maintain the equipment. He also noted the potential, if multiple sites were installed, for improved ISO ratings that could reduce some homeowners' insurance costs, though he did not say whether the project as proposed would by itself lower the district's ISO score.
The board’s approval is procedural: staff still must complete vendor contracting and any required county approvals before installation begins. Board members said they would return to the board with any further paperwork or details if required.
