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Dissolution of fire district under consideration

Jan 22, 2016 8:45 am

Michael Ryan is reporting in the Windham Journal a handshake agreement made nearly 50 years ago by volunteer firefighters is said at the heart of a disagreement that may result in the dissolution of the Windham Fire District. Windham Hose Company No. 1 announced in October its plan to dissolve the district, which includes the Hensonville Hose Company. At that time, Hose No. 1 chief Michael Scarey said the motivation for the dissolution was based in the creation of the fire district, which he said came about to facilitate the formation of a join rescue squad. He said that because there is now a paid ambulance and no rescue squad, there is no reason for the two departments to be fiscally tied to one another. However, the reasoning may now have shifted. The attorney retained by Hose No. 1 recently said his client "believes that its interests in providing fire protection within the area that it covers are not adequately addressed by the fire commissioners." The leadership of the fire company is hoping the fire commissioners and the town board will sit down with them to discuss the issue and negotiate a resolution. The existing fire district has an operating budget of $211,000. Hose No. 1 maintains its headquarters on Main Street in Windham. Hensonville has buildings in Hensonville and Maplecrest. Read the full story in the Wyndham Journal.