Albion, Gaines move towards fire district serving 2 towns, village

Photo by Tom Rivers: Albion Fire Chief Jeremy Graham is shown at the scene of the fire at Frank’s Auto on Nov. 26, 2023 in Albion.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 February 2024 at 4:50 pm

ALBION – The towns of Albion and Gaines, and the Village of Albion are working towards creating a new fire district that would have its own budget and a board of commissioners to oversee the district.

Right now fire protection for the village and two towns is provided by the Albion Fire Department. The Albion FD’s budget is part of the village budget, with the two towns each paying the village a fire protection contract. In 2024, Gaines will pay $116,390 and the Town of Albion will pay $115,362.

The Albion Village Board believes the costs for the department would be more fairly paid in a fire district where property owners all pay the same fire protection tax rate. That would take the fire department out of the village budget.

Albion Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said the two towns would have a greater say in the fire department budget through the election of fire commissioners who can be more focused on the needs of the fire department, while also answering to taxpayers.

The two Town Boards and the Village Board will meet March 27 at Gaines Town Hall with their attorneys in a closed-door session to go over the details and legalities of the district. A public hearing is expected to be scheduled in the spring to present the details of the district to the community.

If all three boards approve the district, it would then be subject to a permissive referendum before being finalized. Residents could petition to have the issue go to a public vote.

Javier said the town and village officials would like to have the new fire district in place for Jan. 1. Albion and Gaines would follow the example of Lyndonville and Yates which created a district in 2023, and Holley and Fancher-Hulberton-Murray which formed a joint fire district in 2021.

Javier said the new district will provide a fair distribution over the entire tax base of the two towns and village as Albion looks to purchase a new ladder truck and make other equipment upgrades in the near future.