SYRACUSE -- An Onondaga County legislator is calling for the potential consolidation of fire departments throughout the county.
Tom Buckel has proposed legislation that calls for the creation of a "Taskforce to Study Fire Consolidation Options Throughout Onondaga County." The bill is on the agenda for Friday's meeting of the Public Safety Committee.
Buckel has obtained financial reports from the State Comptroller which he says shows little if any savings for taxpayers from the 57 volunteer and professional fire districts in Onondaga County. For instance, Buckel says the budgets for fire departments outside the City of Syracuse totalled $25.3 million dollars, while the City's professional fire budget was only slightly more at $26.9 million. Buckel says both entities serve roughly the same population.
As President of the Onondaga County Volunteer Firemen's Association, Richard Webster doubts the accuracy of Buckel's accounting. Webster says if county lawmakers go along with Buckel's call for a task force, he wants to make sure that volunteer firemen have a say in the discussions.
