120.2021 Vol. Firefighter & Emergency Squad Service Award Program Points Systems During COVID-19 Pandemic
RESOLUTION AMENDING TOWN OF QUEENSBURY
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER AND EMERGENCY SQUAD SERVICE
AWARD PROGRAM POINT SYSTEMS FOR PERIOD OF MARCH, 2020 –
DECEMBER 2020 WHEN SPECIAL RESPONSE RULES WERE IN EFFECT
DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC OF 2020
RESOLUTION NO.: 120, 2021
INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Anthony Metivier
WHO MOVED ITS ADOPTION
SECONDED BY: Mr. George Ferone
WHEREAS, as authorized by Articles 11-A and 11-AA of the New York State General
Municipal Law the Queensbury Town Board established Service Award Programs for volunteer
members of the Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.,
Queensbury Central Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., South Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and West
Glens Falls Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., (Fire Companies) and Bay Ridge, West Glens Falls and North
Queensbury Rescue Squads (Squads), respectively, and
WHEREAS, active volunteer members of the Fire Companies and Squads earn Service
Award Program service credit under the Service Award Program Point Systems adopted by the
Town Board, and
WHEREAS, in response to the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, New York
State Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a STATE DISASTER EMERGENCY and issued
EXECUTIVE ORDER 202 OF 2020 and in response to the STATE DISASTER EMERGENCY
New York State towns, villages, cities and/or their volunteer fire company and/or ambulance
company officials adopted Special Response Rules restricting volunteer fire and ambulance
company members responses to emergency responses and/or restricting the holding of activities
for which points could be earned by volunteers during the STATE DISASTER EMERGENCY,
and
WHEREAS, the adoption of the Special Response Rules has affected the ability of active
volunteer fire company and ambulance company members to earn points in Service Award
Programs, and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the negative effect these Special Response Rules has on
the ability of active volunteer fire company and ambulance company members to earn service
credit during 2020 under Service Award Program point systems, New York State legislators and
Governor Andrew Cuomo enacted legislation intended to prevent active volunteer company
members who would have earned service award program service credit during 2020 from failing
to earn a year of service award program service credit during 2020 due to the adoption of Special
Response Rules, and
WHEREAS, this legislation, Chapter 113 of 2020 of the Laws of the State of New York,
authorizes the Town Board to adopt a Resolution to amend the Fire Companies’ and Squads’
Service Award Program point systems by adding a new category to the point systems under
which up to five (5) points per month (prorated for periods of less than one month) may be
awarded to active volunteer members of the Fire Companies and Squads during the period when
the Special Response Rules are in in effect, and
WHEREAS, should the Town Board elect to adopt such a Resolution, Chapter 113 of the
Laws of 2020 of the State of New York provides that the adoption of such Resolution does not
require approval of Town of Queensbury residents at a Town election,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that by adopting this Resolution, the Queensbury Town Board adds the
following new category to the Town of Queensbury Volunteer Firefighter and Emergency
Squad’s Service Award Program Point Systems:
COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020
As a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020, the Town Board of the Town of
Queensbury and the governing board of the Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.,
North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., Queensbury Central Volunteer Fire Co.,
Inc., South Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and West Glens Falls Volunteer
Fire Co., Inc., and Bay Ridge, West Glens Falls and North Queensbury Rescue
Squads adopted Special Response Rules under which the activities for which
active volunteer members of the Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., North
Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., Queensbury Central Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.,
South Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and West Glens Falls Volunteer Fire
Co., Inc., and Bay Ridge, West Glens Falls and North Queensbury’s Rescue
Squads could earn points under the Service Award Program point system were
reduced and/or restricted effective as of March, 2020. Such reduction/restriction
in activities will continue until the effective date the Special Response Rules are
rescinded and all volunteer firefighter and ambulance company members’
activities restored and restrictions on such activities removed by the Town Board
and the governing board of the Town of Queensbury Fire Companies and Rescue
Squads. From the effective date of the adoption of the Special Response Rules to
the end of December 31, 2020, all active volunteer members of the Bay Ridge
Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., Queensbury
Central Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., South Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and
West Glens Falls Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and Bay Ridge, West Glens Falls and
North Queensbury Rescue Squad’s shall be awarded two (2) points per month
with such number of points prorated for periods of less than a complete month
(for a maximum of 20 points for the time period of March 2020 – December
2020). In no event shall points be awarded to active volunteer members of the
Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.,
Queensbury Central Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., South Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co.,
Inc., and West Glens Falls Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and Bay Ridge, West Glens
Falls and North Queensbury Rescue Squads in accordance with Chapter 113, after
January 1, 2021, unless New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo once again
extends Executive Order 202 of 2020 and the Town Board adopts a Resolution
authorizing it.
As soon as administratively feasible after the adoption of this Resolution by the
Town Board, active volunteer members of the Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.,
North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., Queensbury Central Volunteer Fire Co.,
Inc., South Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and West Glens Falls Volunteer
Fire Co., Inc., and Bay Ridge, West Glens Falls and North Queensbury Rescue
Squads shall be given a written Notice of Amendment announcing the adoption
of, and including an explanation of, this additional category to the point system.
As soon as administratively feasible, after the Town Board and governing board
of the Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co.,
Inc., Queensbury Central Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., South Queensbury Volunteer Fire
Co., Inc., and West Glens Falls Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and Bay Ridge, West
Glens Falls and North Queensbury Rescue Squads rescind the Special Response
Rules, a second Notice of Amendment shall be given to active volunteer members
of the Fire Companies and Squads stating the effective date that the Special
Response Rules have been rescinded, and indicating the number of points to be
awarded to each active volunteer member during the period when the Special
Response Rules were in effect.
Since this amendment to the Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., North Queensbury
Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., Queensbury Central Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., South
Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and West Glens Falls Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.,
and Bay Ridge, West Glens Falls and North Queensbury Rescue Squad’s Service
Award Programs points system is intended to prevent active volunteer members
who would otherwise have earned service award program credit under the point
system during 2020 from failing to earn credit during 2020, the adoption of this
Resolution is expected to have little if any effect on the annual cost of the Bay
Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co., Inc.,
Queensbury Central Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., South Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co.,
Inc., and West Glens Falls Volunteer Fire Co., Inc., and Bay Ridge, West Glens
Falls and North Queensbury Rescue Squad’s Service Award Programs.
All other provisions of the Volunteer Firefighter and Emergency Squad Service
Award Programs shall not change as a result of the adoption of this Resolution
and the Programs shall continue to be administered by the Town of Queensbury in
accordance with Article 11-A and 11-AA of the New York State General
Municipal Law as such laws are amended from time to time.
and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board further authorizes and directs the Town Supervisor,
Town Clerk, Town Counsel and/or Town Budget Officer to take all actions necessary to effectuate
the terms of this Resolution.
th
Duly adopted this 5 day of April, 2021, by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Freer, Mr. Ferone, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Strough, Mr. Metivier
NOES: None
ABSENT: None