Speigletown Fire District

The Board of Fire Commissioners of the Speigletown Fire District held its public hearing on the 2027 budget and its regular monthly meeting on Monday, October 19, 2026 at the firehouse, 146 Speigletown Road, beginning at 6:00 p.m. This summary is drawn from a community recording, not from district minutes, which are not posted online. The recording does not capture a usable roll call; one participant joined remotely. Motion makers and seconders are not always audible; motions below passed by voice vote with no opposition heard. Private individuals are not named.

Before the meeting the chair noted the board’s new meeting recording policy, which recognizes the public’s right to record open sessions and requires anyone recording to notify the chair beforehand and to give the board a complete, unedited copy within five business days. speigletown.org identified itself as recording and agreed to supply the copy.

Public hearing on the 2027 budget

The chair opened the hearing and asked for public comment. A resident asked for a copy of the proposed budget and was told one would be provided after the meeting. There was no other comment. The board voted to adopt the 2027 budget. Motion carried, no opposition. The hearing was closed and the regular meeting opened with the pledge and a moment of silence.

The adopted budget, as provided to the public after the meeting, totals $714,170 in appropriations, up $42,693 or 6.4 percent from the $671,477 budget for 2026. The board applies $40,000 of carryover, so the amount to be raised by taxes is $674,170, an increase of $2,693 or 0.40 percent. The levy is apportioned by full value: $396,786 (58.86 percent) to Town of Schaghticoke taxpayers and $277,384 (41.14 percent) to Town of Brunswick taxpayers. The district’s worksheet projects the Schaghticoke rate at $11.82 per $1,000 of assessed value, up 5.55 percent from $11.20, and the Brunswick rate at $10.49, down 6.36 percent, because Brunswick’s full value grew faster. The largest changes from 2026 are a $40,000 building repair and maintenance line (from $29,500), $13,500 for building security systems (from $2,000), a reduction in the apparatus repair line to $45,000 (from $55,000), and a larger turnout gear reserve, $42,000 (from $17,800). The line-by-line budget is on our fire district budget page.

Public comment

None.

Treasurer’s report

The treasurer presented the October warrant, which was routine monthly expenses, and a budget status report showing spending on track. End-of- month cash was about $125,000 before transfers; with the money moved from reserves, the district had about $250,000 in the bank. The reserve report showed $148,000 moved from reserves this year to pay for the truck refurbishment and boiler work downstairs. Revenue, essentially all property tax, stood at roughly $600,000 for the year. Commissioners complimented the treasurer’s work. The report was accepted. Motion carried.

Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted. Motion carried. Correspondence: none.

Insurance and LOSAP

The insurance bills for 2027 had not arrived; based on payroll information the renewal is expected to run about 10 percent higher. The Length of Service Award Program itself, now paying out to retirees, costs the district about $200 a month in administration; the separate investment account has grown from $265,000 to $289,000.

Buildings and grounds

• Capital Security, which services the fire alarm, quoted $700 to upgrade the alarm system and $85 a month to monitor it through a cellular communicator that would replace the phone lines now used by the alarm panel. The board will check with its insurer on whether monitoring affects its rates and with the county sheriff’s office before deciding; the vendor said the quote would hold.
• Replacement light fixtures for the engineer’s room are in storage and will be hung after the assistant chief’s busy season to check the lighting pattern.
• Mold was found in a basement half wall after heavy summer rain, the first water problem there since a French drain was installed 10 or 11 years ago. A remediation contractor loaned dehumidifiers at no charge and said the space was safe to use; how far the mold extends is not known without opening the wall. The board will ask the contractor what can be done. A neighboring parking lot regrade may be sending more water toward the building.
• The commissioner will contact H2M, the district’s engineers, to schedule building surveys in the spring, which will require new proposals.

Grants and policies, membership

No reports.

Purchases

A commissioner asked why the tractor’s new tire keeps going flat; the chief’s office will look at it if it happens again. The tractor is serviced annually and is not considered at end of life.

Cameras and keys

Capital Security has not set a date to replace the camera out back and add one in the hallway. The board has two quotes for a new digital video recorder and will seek a third next year; one vendor declined to quote.

Chief’s report

• 21 calls in September.
• Annual testing of the aerial and ground ladders is complete; all passed.
• Engine Rescue 35 had a radiator leak repaired; it appears to have been an overflow caused by error at the shop.
• EMS supplies were moved to a cabinet downstairs in the engineer’s room where all EMTs can reach them.
• A joint drill with Melrose had a good turnout, with ventilation training.
• Truck or Treat is Sunday, October 25 at Town Hall.
• The state DEC grant is complete and closed. The grant was $7,000; the district came in about $50 under and expects reimbursement of about $3,650.
• Last week’s drill requalified all drivers.
• A former member is expected to return his gear.
• At a call to the Field of Horrors last week a visitor fell through a floor to the hip. The crew needed a small battery-powered circular saw and used an electric one; the chief asked to buy a Makita, about $149, to match batteries already on the truck. Angelo Luchi of speigletown.org, attending as a member of the public, offered to donate the saw, and the chief accepted. (Disclosure: Mr. Luchi publishes this site and prepared this summary.)
• The chief noted the state’s new $800 income tax credit for volunteers, up from $200.
• Chief’s vehicle: three final quotes for an equipped Tahoe with Havis console, lighting and striping, excluding the rear command box: DeNooyer, $78,297 (white); Mohawk, $78,162 (black with red wrap); DePaula, $77,197 (black with red wrap). The command box would run roughly $6,500 to $7,000 from a local fabricator, for a total near $84,245. The purchase would come from the apparatus reserve, which holds about $109,000, and requires a resolution subject to permissive referendum; one commissioner suggested authorizing up to $90,000 to cover the box and an air pack bracket. The board expects to act next month.

Old business

None.

New business

The board voted on whether to nominate candidates for the open commissioner seats and chose not to make nominations. The annual fire district election is Tuesday, December 8, 6 to 9 p.m. at the firehouse. Two seats are open: a full five-year term and the balance of an unexpired term; the candidate with the most votes takes the five-year seat. Anyone who wants to run must submit a letter to the district secretary by November 18.

Adjourned at about 6:41 p.m. Motion carried.

This summary is unofficial. It was prepared by speigletown.org from a community recording of the October 19, 2026 meeting, made under the district’s recording policy; the district’s approved minutes, available from the district secretary, are the record. Private individuals are not named; commissioners, officers and vendors on the public record are.