Treasurer candidate says she is ready to serve new Albion Joint Fire District

Editor:

We are all seeing yard signs popping up around the Towns of Albion and Gaines. What are these signs for? What is the Albion Joint Fire District?

I would like to put some clarity to the differences between the newly formed Albion Joint Fire District and the very old (1831 to be exact) Albion Fire Department, Inc.

Let’s begin with the Albion Fire Department, which is a volunteer /nonprofit organization that is incorporated under the 501(c)(3) tax category in the IRS Code.  It is an independent business really, that provides the firefighters/EMS personnel to cover both Albion and Gaines. These volunteers are dedicated to the community and are not paid for the job they do.

The Albion Joint Fire District (AJFD) was recently formed through a public vote, with the Village of Albion no longer the oversight agency of the taxpayer funds for fire service. In the past, funds were provided through contracts with Towns of Gaines/Albion to the Village of Albion.

Now the new AJFD is a separate organization with a separate budget – and the Albion Fire Department remains – 2 separate and distinct entities that operate independent of one another legally.  Even though these two organizations are separate, they will now work together to provide Fire/EMS personnel/services to the coverage area.

As for the signs popping up around town. There will be an election for commissioners (5) and a treasurer for the newly formed AJFD. That election will happen Dec. 10 at the Hoag Library from 4 to 9 p.m.

Registered voters in both towns will have the ability to vote for their choices for the five commissioners and the one treasurer needed for the AJFD.

As a dedicated member of our community and a candidate for the position of Treasurer for the AJFD, I am writing to express my commitment to ensuring financial responsibility and transparency in our local government. It is important that all taxpayers know how and where their dollars are being spent.

I feel strongly that we need to have oversight for the funds that the fire district is requesting and that the taxpayers will now be seeing as a line on their county tax bills coming in January 2025.  We need to make sure we follow all State and Federal rules and regulations to assure we don’t have any issues down the road.

I am running for Treasurer of the Fire District and am a current member of the Albion Fire Department. With a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, I feel I am well qualified to oversee the large budget that will be coming to this new organization.

It is your right as a registered voter to cast your ballot for the candidate(s) you feel most qualified for the positions. I know I am ready to serve the AJFD in the position of treasurer.

Please vote: December 10 at Hoag Library.

Sincerely,

Kristen Marciszewski

Gaines resident and candidate for Albion Joint Fire District treasurer