260.2022 Amend Volunteer Firefighter Service Award Program and Plan Document RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY'S
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM
AND PLAN DOCUMENT
RESOLUTION NO.: 260, 2022
INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Anthony Metivier
WHO MOVED ITS ADOPTION
SECONDED BY: Mr. George Ferone
WHEREAS, the Queensbury Town Board previously adopted a defined contribution
Volunteer Firefighter Service Awards Program which is administered by the Town, and
WHEREAS, on November 8, 2019, former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed into law
a bill increasing the maximum Service Awards able to be paid to Volunteer Firefighters and
Volunteer Ambulance Workers, and
WHEREAS, The Town's current defined contribution plan provides for an annual
contribution of$700 per year per participant, and
WHEREAS, under a defined contribution plan, under the new bill, the Service Award
Program contribution for a participating volunteer can now be increased to as much as $1,200
per year per participant, and
WHEREAS, the Town Board would like to increase the annual contribution per
participating volunteer but do so in a staggered manner in the following way:
January 1, 2023 increase to $900
January 1, 2024 increase to $1,000
January 1, 2025 increase to $1,100
January 1, 2026 increase to $1,200,
and
WHEREAS, an increase in the annual contribution under an existing Service Award
Program in the manner described above up to the maximum $1200 is subject to an affirmative
vote of at least sixty percent (60%) of the Town Board and a mandatory referendum where the
residents of the Town served by these organizations must approve a Proposition authorizing the
increase in payments by a majority vote by placement of such Proposition on the ballot of the
November 8 h, 2022 General Election, and
WHEREAS, the existing annual cost of the Service Award Program for 2022 will be
approximately $94,500, and
WHEREAS,the estimated annual cost of the Service Award Program to the Town including
the annual administration fee per covered participant will be approximately:
2023 increase to $900—annual cost to the Town$121,500
2024 increase to $1,000 - annual cost to the Town$135,000
2025 increase to $1,100 - annual cost to the Town$148,500
2026 increase to $1,200 - annual cost to the Town$162,000
and
WHEREAS, the increase in the estimated cost of the Service Award Program compared to
2022 would range from $27,000 in 2023 to a total increase of$67,500 in 2026,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Queensbury Town Board hereby increases the annual contribution to
the Volunteer Firefighter Service Award Program Plan Document (the "Plan") from $700 to a
maximum of$1,200 staggered in the manner described above, subject to an affirmative vote of at
2
least sixty percent(60%) of the Town Board and a mandatory referendum at the November 8, 2022
General Election, and
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED,the Plan be amended as follows:
D. Section 11 of the Plan, entitled "Annual Service Award", is amended as follows:
(i) Subparagraph(a) and (b) shall be replaced entirely with:
(a) $400 for each year of Service Credit earned during Program Years
beginning before January 1, 2007, including Prior Service Credit.
(b) $700 for each year of Service Credit earned during the Program Years
beginning January 1, 2007 to January 1, 2022.
(c) $900 for each year of Service Credit earned during the Program Year
beginning on or after January 1, 2023.
(d) $1000 for each year of Service Credit earned during the Program Year
beginning on or after January 1, 2024
(e) $1,100 for each year of Service Credit earned during the Program
Year beginning on or after January 1, 2025; and
(f) $1,200 for each year of Service Credit earned during a Program Year
beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby authorizes and directs the Town Clerk and Town
Counsel to prepare a Proposition relating to this Resolution to be placed on the November 8, 2022
3
election ballot for the voters' approval or disapproval and the Town Clerk, with the advice of Town
Counsel,to prepare an Abstract of the Proposition, and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves and authorizes a Proposition
substantially in the form of the following Proposition pertaining to the increase in the annual
Service Award contribution for the Town of Queensbury's Volunteer Firefighters:
INCREASE IN MAXIMUM SERVICE AWARD CONTRIBUTION
The Town of Queensbury proposes to increase the annual Service Award
contribution for a participating Volunteer Firefighter from $700 per year per
participant to the maximum of $1,200 per year per participant, in
accordance with the bill signed into law on November 8, 2019 by former
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, to be effective prospectively if approved by a
majority of the residents of the Town of Queensbury as follows:
January 1, 2023 increase to $900
January 1, 2024 increase to $1,000
January 1, 2025 increase to $1,100
January 1, 2026 increase to $1,200
The current annual estimated cost to the Town of this Program at its
current contribution is $94,500.
The annual estimated cost to the Town is as follows:
2023 increase to $900—annual cost to the Town$121,500
2024 increase to $1,000-annual cost to the Town $135,000
2025 increase to $1,100-annual cost to the Town $148,500
4
2026 increase to $1,200-annual cost to the Town $162,000;
and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board further authorizes and directs the Queensbury Town
Clerk to transmit a certified copy of this Resolution along with the Propositions and Abstracts to the
Warren County Board of Elections or other appropriate officials so that the Propositions will be
placed on the November 8, 2022 election ballot in all the voting locations in the Town of
Queensbury.
Duly adopted this 27 h day of June, 2022, by the following vote:
AYES Mr. McNulty, Mr. Strough, Mr. Metivier, Mr. Freer, Mr. Ferone
NOES None
ABSENT: None
5