Anthony Fiducia is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Coxsackie Fire Chief Barry Rausch has been suspended by the village board for unspecified reasons. Rausch is a lifelong resident of Coxsackie and 40-year veteran of the Coxsackie Fire Department. Coxsackie Village Mayor Mark Evans declined comment on Rausch's suspension, saying only, “The village does not comment on any ongoing personnel matters." Coxsackie Transport owner Wayne Parks, a former village trustee, said Rausch has not received official notice of the suspension. Parks believes the suspension was politically motivated because of comments Rausch made concerning potential firefighting issues at the proposed UMH housing development. Village Trustee Donald Daoust, a firefighter in the village for more than 50 years, was out of town on vacation when the suspension was discussed. He would have been an influential voice in the decision about the fire chief, Parks said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.