City working to transfer fire training center to county
NORWICH – Nearly four years after first pitching the idea of taking ownership of the fire training center in Norwich, the Chenango County Fire Bureau says the delay has cost the county $1.5 million in grant funding.
Chenango Fire Coordinator Matthew Beckwith revived talks with the Norwich City Council last week that could end with his agency taking total ownership of the fire training center off Prentice Street. While the county owns the buildings on the property, the plot is currently owned by the city.
The lack of total ownership, said Beckwith, has made the county ineligible for millions of dollars in federal grants that could be used to improve the center.
If green-lighted by the Norwich City Council, the property would be transferred to the county for as little as $1. The Fire Bureau could then chase funding for upgrades, including a new burn center for real-life training, additional office space, and equipment storage.
“We've come several times before the committee to ask for a transition and nothing has happened,” Beckwith said to council members at a Norwich Joint Committee meeting Wednesday. He noted that that the council agreed to a transfer in 2016 but failed to follow through with an official resolution, forcing the county to send firefighters to training centers is nearby Madison and Oswego counties for burn building exercises that could be held in Norwich if grant money were available to construct a new burn building.
“The [county] board has approved a resolution authorizing the transfer in the event that it ever does take place,” he added.
Previous talks between the city and county have stalled due primarily to concerns over water usage. Council members worried that city taxpayers would foot the bill for water used at the facility, which historically ranges between 50,000 and 500,000 gallons per year. They also feared impeding traffic to the adjacent city DPW entrance, and also asked that the training center tap into the city's wastewater lines.
The county has agreed to the city's stipulations and the city's now discussing waiving water fees because of the public benefit the training center provides to the City of Norwich and the surrounding townships that use it.
“It's really a big loss for all of us that our own paid fire crew has to go to Oswego and Madison counties when they could just go three blocks down the road,” said Ward One Alderman Matthew Caldwell. He motioned that the city attorney review the agreement to go before the city council, adding that “the time is right to do this.”
“I think this is a win for the community and it's long overdue,” said Norwich Mayor Christine Carnrike, adding that she endorsed the transfer when it was proposed in 2016.
“I already agreed to it once; I'm not going to disagree this time,” said Ward Five Alderman David Zeino.
If approved by the city attorney, a resolution to transfer the property could go to the city council later this month.
Chenango Fire Coordinator Matthew Beckwith revived talks with the Norwich City Council last week that could end with his agency taking total ownership of the fire training center off Prentice Street. While the county owns the buildings on the property, the plot is currently owned by the city.
The lack of total ownership, said Beckwith, has made the county ineligible for millions of dollars in federal grants that could be used to improve the center.
If green-lighted by the Norwich City Council, the property would be transferred to the county for as little as $1. The Fire Bureau could then chase funding for upgrades, including a new burn center for real-life training, additional office space, and equipment storage.
“We've come several times before the committee to ask for a transition and nothing has happened,” Beckwith said to council members at a Norwich Joint Committee meeting Wednesday. He noted that that the council agreed to a transfer in 2016 but failed to follow through with an official resolution, forcing the county to send firefighters to training centers is nearby Madison and Oswego counties for burn building exercises that could be held in Norwich if grant money were available to construct a new burn building.
“The [county] board has approved a resolution authorizing the transfer in the event that it ever does take place,” he added.
Previous talks between the city and county have stalled due primarily to concerns over water usage. Council members worried that city taxpayers would foot the bill for water used at the facility, which historically ranges between 50,000 and 500,000 gallons per year. They also feared impeding traffic to the adjacent city DPW entrance, and also asked that the training center tap into the city's wastewater lines.
The county has agreed to the city's stipulations and the city's now discussing waiving water fees because of the public benefit the training center provides to the City of Norwich and the surrounding townships that use it.
“It's really a big loss for all of us that our own paid fire crew has to go to Oswego and Madison counties when they could just go three blocks down the road,” said Ward One Alderman Matthew Caldwell. He motioned that the city attorney review the agreement to go before the city council, adding that “the time is right to do this.”
“I think this is a win for the community and it's long overdue,” said Norwich Mayor Christine Carnrike, adding that she endorsed the transfer when it was proposed in 2016.
“I already agreed to it once; I'm not going to disagree this time,” said Ward Five Alderman David Zeino.
If approved by the city attorney, a resolution to transfer the property could go to the city council later this month.
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