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GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Vikki R. Simmons received 196 votes to win another term on the Fairview Fire District Commission in Tuesday night's elections.
Simmons beat out Brian Montgomery by only 17 votes, according to Fairview Fire District Secretary Thelia Mauro.
Simmons joined Fairview's four other commissioners to approve an $11.7 million budget for 2013 that will increase the tax rate 6 percent for residents of the Fairview district. She has been on the board for 20 years.
A total of 375 residents turned out to the Fairview Board of Commissioners election, which is considered a large amount, according to Mauro. Election turnout is usually less than 5 percent of eligible voters.
Robert Bruckenthal was re-elected to the Greenville Fire District Commission and Fred Overing won another term on as a Hartsdale Fire District commissioner.
Comments (3)
Vicki Simmons has been an outstanding community volunteer. She has served Greenburgh residents well, particularly those in Fairview who are affected by fire district taxes. All fire district taxes are going up. Could there be more cost cutting? I'm sure there can be but the day to day operations aren't what's hurting the budgets. The retirement system has to change. As with all NYS agencies, the retirement system needs to be looked at. It's clear that many abuse the system with high overtime numbers to bump up their pensions. The system itself needs repair or perhaps even replacement. Those managing the investments haven't been doing a great job which is why the employer expense is so high. Changes can only be made ligislatively on the state level. There has to be more control and oversight on investments from the fund, reducing the amount of overtime that can be calculated towards pensions and perhaps even giving municipalities the option to opt out of the State Retirement system and allow them to offer 401k's. This is a tough one for our State leaders - the taxpayers are choking on this one huge budget expense but changing it could be political suicide due to the unions throughout the state who will be affected by it. Reform of the system is the only thing that will work. The question is whether or not we have State leaders who are willing to put their necks out for their constituents.
Dear Only,
Possibly my comment was misunderstood; I grant it was not an example of my clearest writing and perhaps why I resort to lengthier, expository pieces.
I should have expanded it further to clarify that I am delighted with the election result, agree with your assessment of Ms. Simmons' service record to the Fire District and glad, that on this occasion, Feiner's back room manipulations to take over from the inside were defeated. Feiner + Hoffman (as uninvited players in the Fire District League) have a combined earned run average of -3.
My condolences to both Paul Feiner and Milton Hoffman who tried and failed.