NOTICE OF PUBLIC REFERENDUM

Colonie, Town - Proposition (Inc. to $25 & Inc. to 50yrs).pdf

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PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to General Municipal Law Section 216, a public referendum of the residents of the Town of Colonie for the Latham Fire Protection District will take place on October 21, 2025, between the hours of 12:00PM and 7:00 PM at S.W. Pitts (Latham) Firehouse, located at 226 Old Loudon Road, Latham, Town of Colonie, Albany County, State of New York for the purpose of voting upon the following proposition:

THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF COLONIE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON AUGUST 28, 2025, AUTHORIZING, PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 11-A OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, A PUBLIC REFERENDUM OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS OF THE TOWN OF COLONIE.

THE BOARD IS SEEKING APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN OF COLONIE LATHAM FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT DEFINED BENEFIT SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 1991. THE PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY THE TOWN OF COLONIE, AND IS ADMINISTERED BY THE BOARD, FOR ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER MEMBERS OF THE LATHAM FIRE DEPARTMENT.

THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026 AND IF APPROVED, WOULD INCREASE THE MONTHLY SERVICE AWARD FROM $20 TO $25 FOR EACH YEAR BEGINNING AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2025 IN WHICH AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER MEMBER EARNS A YEAR OF SERVICE CREDIT UNDER THE SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM POINT SYSTEM AND WOULD INCREASE THE MAXIMUM YEARS OF SERVICE CREDIT THAT CAN BE EARNED IN THE PROGRAM FROM FORTY (40) TO FIFTY (50) YEARS.

THE ANNUAL COST OF THE PROGRAM IS ABOUT $134,000 (ABOUT $1,229 PER COVERED PARTICIPANT), WHICH INCLUDES THE COST OF ADMINSITRATION. SHOULD VOTERS APPROVE THIS AMENDMENT, THE ANNUAL COST SHALL INCREASE TO ABOUT $160,000 (ABOUT $1,468 PER COVERED PARTICIPANT), AND THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE IN THE ADMINISTRATION COST AS A RESULT OF THIS AMENDMENT.

THEREFORE, SHALL THE STATED RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE TOWN OF COLONIE LATHAM FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM BE APPROVED?

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a copy of the aforesaid resolution is available for inspection at the Colonie Town Hall, and that every person who shall be a registered voter and who shall have resided in the Town of Colonie and covered by the Latham Fire Protection District for a period of thirty (30) days immediately preceding the referendum shall be eligible to vote upon the proposition.