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Village Fire Department Residency Concerns Raised

FALCONER — Concerns over the residency among some members of the Falconer Fire Department, including that of the fire chief, led the Falconer Village Board to table approving the department’s elections for officers and administrators.

The decision, made by the board at a meeting this week, prompted a discussion between some members of the department and the board.

Questions over whether some members of the fire department were living within the boundaries of the district were brought up during a board work session meeting. Those concerns led the board to table the election results for a month in order to look into the village law governing the fire department.

Specifically, the board sought information on residency requirements.

“We had people at the work session that had some concerns and they expressed their concerns,” Falconer Mayor James Rensel said. “We listened to them and we’d like more time to digest those concerns.”

Lisa Piazza, the fire department’s vice president, questioned tabling the election results, which include positions such as fire chief, assistant chiefs and fire captain as well as administrative roles. Most fire departments hold annual elections among members to fill a variety of positions.

“We are a membership and it’s an election process,” Piazza told the board. “We are not governed by anyone other than our membership, and it’s an election process. We are an incorporation, and what would change in January? The people that volunteer and are part of the membership and dedicate their time and make the commitment regardless of their ZIP code, because we have several members that are out of this ZIP code. What’s going to change in January because we are elected by our members. The board doesn’t elect us.”

Trustee Michael Steele, who proposed tabling approving the department’s election results, said village board members act as fire commissioners.

Later asked by Piazza what specific concerns the board had regarding residency, Rensel responded, “I’m concerned about the proximity of the chief to the fire station, and we have others that are very concerned about that.”

Charles Piazza, fire chief since 2016, was voted by department members to remain in the position. He confirmed he recently moved out of the district.

Another member, Lela Perdue, noted that the fire department has bylaws that allow people who work at least eight hours in the district to remain a member, even if they move.

“There are several members in our department that will not be members because they work in our district,” Perdue said, later adding, “I’ve been in the department for 16 years and all of a sudden there’s a problem.”

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