Comments from up to November 17, 2025 @3PM

Community Comment: Attached is an article from November 18, 1965 regarding the purchase of the current fire house. VIEW HERE.

Correct Information: Thank you for sharing!

Community Comment: Why is this different than the bus garage vote you don't have to be registered to vote for that?

Correct Information: Under Town Law, Article 11 (Fire Districts) of the New York Consolidated Laws:

• Section 175(2) provides: “Every elector of the town who shall be a registered voter and who shall have resided in the fire district for the period of thirty days next preceding any election … shall be qualified to vote upon such proposition.” 

Community Comment: I do not dispute that there definitely needs to be upgrades to our existing firehouse. I do not agree with the thinking that we need to go big or go home. We are a small community with a small tax base. The economy is not in a good place that we should take on such a tax burden. There should be better alternatives for our small fire department. The flooding issue. If it is such a problem over the years than why has it in itself been addressed? It would not be just fire department but residential homes as well.  Voting on something this large should have come with alternatives for people. I understand you can only submit one proposal at a time but just blowing off people with questions on doing something at the present site is not really the way to go. We already own that property so not an added expense for tax payers. Also it is my understanding that this 3 1\2 acres was originally was going to be donated. Now it is costing us thousands of dollars. What happened to that? People greedy much? And yes, this is just my opinion but also based on common sense.

Correct Information: The district appreciates your comments. Some ideas for consideration. The project will be funded over the next 30 years, and the economoy will go up and down several times over that period. The current effort to replace the station is based on the inflation that is occurring and that the project will only get more expensive in the future. The district cannot control the flooding in the village; that would need to be requested by the Village Board to New York State to better control the watershed. Regarding alternatives, we agree. We developed 6 different options for public comment, and the project currently being voted on was the overwhelming choice of the village and town residents who attended the 3 previous public forums. Never has it been the intent to “blow people off” regarding the current site. The committee reviewed that option at length, and the discussion always ended with agreement that the only wise investment for the tax payers would be on higher ground.

Community Comment: $5.9 million bond for 30 years at 4%.......total cost will be $10 million to $12 million? Zero increase in service and tax increases that may drive out homeowners on a fixed income. Hueber Breuer are used car salesmen....their job is to sell the idea of a new fire station, to the public, in these fire districts.

Hueber Breuer has no financial interest in the outcome of this referendum.

Of course you do, your company makes money by convincing Tax Payers to approve Fire Station Referendums........if you are not successful, then Fire Districts will not hire you.  So, while you may not have a direct financial interest, you do have a vested interest in seeing this referendum succeed.....and not because you care about this community.

Correct information: While the proposed project may have “zero increase in services” we believe it will guarantee you still have services 20 years from now. Hueber Breuer has provided construction management consulting to communities since 1880. We are a family-owned business that has earned the reputation of being fair and honest. The Division of Fire Protection Services has been working with your neighbors since May of 2024 to help them demonstrate the needs of the department. Their goal was to find the most cost-effective long-term solution. We believe the current proposed project meets that goal. This referendum vote is not about Hueber Breuer; it is about the future of fire and EMS services in Morris.

Comments from up to November 14, 2025 @5PM

Community Comment:  I have serious concerns about the Fire House Fiasco and how it's being presented.  There have been multiple posts during the past few months and I've posed questions on every post I've seen but never received a response.  A few moments ago I posted the following on the Morris Fire District page.   Will someone PLEASE answer these  questions and offer an explanation?    "I've asked previously but not received an answer - What accommodations are being made for absentee participation and voting? Many residents are unable to attend in person due to medical/physical limitations. No ZOOM type sharing or audio coverage of the "Public" meetings has been made available. No notes or minutes of the meetings have been published. Our voices need to be heard. Our votes need to be included. Is this even a legal proceeding?"

Correct information: Regarding absentee voting, New York State requires extensive record keeping if absentee ballots are offered.  The District does not have the staff to properly administer that process.  Regarding Zoom access, the District does not have the IT capacity at this time to accommodate online participation.  The proposed new station will allow that to be offered.  The three previous public forums were advertised.  They were not official District meetings therefore no minutes were made available to the public.  The District, with counsel from their attorney, has confirmed every legal requirement for this referendum has been met or exceeded.

Community Comment:  I attended the meeting last night (Nov.13, 2025) and would like to thank the Morris Fire Commissioners for all the hard work they have put into this project. Tom from Hueber Breuer did a great job on explaining the scope and cost of the proposed project. They have provided the “ worst case” scenario on the tax effect of $207.00 per 100,000 dollars of valuation of your  property. They are also working with one the best grant writers out there on this project. She recently helped the district receive $75,000 for gear for the department. I had reservations last night on the cost as well and how it will affect taxpayers. After thinking about it further, I believe we owe it to our local Men & Women that put us first every time they answer the call and put themselves in harm’s way.It’s a small price to pay when your in need of help!

District Response: Thank you for your comments.

Community Comment:  Why is it for registered voters and not all Morris tax payers?

Correct Information: New York State mandates that all voters for fire district referendums be registered,  The Fire District must follow the NYS voting regulations.

Community Comment:  South New Berlin remodeled an existing building for roughly $1.3 I believe. New Berlin built a brand new structure, steel frame, beautiful building. $1.1 I believe ( with an additional donation for the community center) not included in the $1.1. These builds were both recent. Why do you project that the estimated construction costs have escalated to that extreme? Is it viable for the community? Do you think your projections are realistic or are they inflated?

Correct information: The budget we have prepared is based on the fire stations HB have completed in the last 5 years.  The escalation of construction costs in the last 3 years has been significant.  In order to compare projects you would need to determine what type of building was constructed, does it meet code? is it a type 1 building that can be bonded for 30 years, and, in the case of South New Berlin, a large majority of the interior fitout was donated.  We believe the budget we have prepared is accurate for this project.

Community Comment:  Will the department outgrow this building in 30 to 50 years ? Fire trucks are getting bigger every year.

Correct information: No, the proposed station has been designed to have 14’ high doors (the height of all bridges in NY) and 14’ wide (NYS limit for vehicle width is 10’).  We are confident the apparatus will not outgrow the firebays.

Community Comment:  I thought when I was in tonight's meeting that we could ask questions on the site www.votemorrisfire.com and people would see the questions and answers..So what is the criteria that the builder has to have to put in a bid. Why is the yearly increase for the taxes different than the last meeting.. last meeting was 300 now 207. I think everyone agrees on a new building it's the amount.  My house is assessed at 150k I can not afford for my taxes to go up more than I pay now.  And I think there are many others in ny situation. 

Correct Information: The project will award (4) main contracts for General Construction, Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC.  To submit a bid for these contracts you will have to meet insurance requirements of $3M in liability and be able to secure a performance bond for the value of your bid.  However, if you are a subcontractor, you will be able to bid directly to the GC’s bidding the project with fewer insurance + bond requirements.  Regarding eh stated tax implication, $207 per $100,000 assessment is accurate.  The $300 value given previously was in error; we apologize for the confusion.

Community Comment:  Way too costly for seniors living on S.S.  already paying school taxes, land taxes and village tax and paying on the recently updated water system million $ finaced for 30 years. Thought there was a tax cap Limit.

District Response: The District understands that taxes are a struggle for some families in the community.  The District tries each year to maintain a fiscally responsible budget.  In 2024, the fire district tax was 6% of your total taxes.  If you add in the cost of the project (if approved) the fire tax would equal 9% of your total taxes.  If you live in the village, your percentage is slightly lower.

Comments from up to November 13, 2025 @7PM

Community Comment: How is this legal?  A meeting on the 13th and the vote on the 18th???  Are there requirements for public notice?  Who is approving even considering a new building That Isn't Needed???

Correct Information: The District has held a series of public meetings over the course of the last one and a half years including June 13, 2024; September 18, 2024; August 5, 2025; and September 4, 2025 . The upcoming (November 13, 2025) meeting was publicized with a mailer sent out to all members of the District.

Community Comment: How would you work out the memorial day parade, chicken BBQ and Halloween for the kids? Too far for some people to get to (kids, Friends, neighbors) :)

Correct Information: The fire department will continue to support all community events from either the existing station, or if sold, from other centrally located public spaces. The school parking lot could be a possible solution.

Community Comment: Significantly higher taxes for the next 20 or 30 years.....and if an unavoidable expense comes up, even higher taxes. Uncertain economic times is not the time to make large capital project purchases. Work on securing funding that won't cripple the local residents.

Correct Information: While future expenses are not always predictable, what is predictable is the cost escalation of construction. The existing station does not meet the current needs of the department. Securing outside funding (grants) can only be attempted if the project has public approval. The District actively pursues grant funding , the most recent example this fall they secured $75,000 in grants for firefighting equipment. This grant will reduce the Districts budget (and tax implication) next year as they will not have to purchase that equipment.

Community Comment: Is there any detail around how the financing will work? For example, wiill the town borrow the money and how will that affect taxes? Both are high numbers and it really hard to assess with abstract numbers for total cost. If there is detailed information on line just point me to it. Thank you.

Correct Information: The project will be funded by a municipal bond. The bond will be secured by the Fire District, not the Town. The cost of the bond will be added to the Fire District budget each year.

Community Comment: Please note that at least two other small districts in our area have recently taken on similar projects.

Correct Information: Projects that have been completed in neighboring communities have not effected your taxes. As a resident of The Morris Fire District , you pay only for the cost in Morris , not for projects other communities have completed.

Community Comment: I don’t know what the current costs are for this type of construction, but it seems like these numbers are terribly high. I guess a million dollars isn’t what it used to be. I would hope there is a lot of transparency in the actual bidding and awarding of whatever contracts are awarded for this construction, and would also hope that as much as possible, contracts are awarded to local companies. What are the cost differences between the village/town undertaking this construction with their own employees vs hiring an outside company that is cutting corners in order to eek out more profit?

Correct Information: The project , by New York State law, must be publicly bid, with a public bid opening. Contracts, by law, must be awarded to the lowest bidder. The fire district will hold workshops to introduce the project to any local contractors to assist them in bidding the project. Regarding town employees performing the work, no municipality has the employees required to complete a project of this scale. We will investigate having the town assist in items like paving if we see a financial benefit.

Community Comment: Today a fire house next year new trucks and equipment $$$$$$$$

Correct Information: The district has no plans of purchasing any new apparatus.

Community Comment: Attention Neighbors – Let’s Talk About the Proposed $6 Million Firehouse. Our small town has a population of roughly 500 people – yet we’re being asked to support a $6 million firehouse proposed by Hueber Breuer, a large construction firm that seems more interested in profit than practicality. To put this into perspective: Nearby Oneonta, with over 15,000 residents, built a smaller and less expensive firehouse than what’s being pushed on us. So why are WE being asked to take on such a massive and costly project? This isn’t just about a building — it’s about responsible spending, local priorities, and not being taken advantage of by outside companies trying to line their pockets at the expense of small-town taxpayers. We all support our firefighters and their safety — that’s not the issue. The issue is scale, cost, and common sense. There are smarter, more affordable options out there that still provide everything our fire department needs. Let’s make sure our voices are heard. Say NO to a firehouse we can’t afford — and YES to protecting our town’s future.#SmallTownStrong #SupportSmartSpending #ProtectOurTownEveryone needs to vote owners and renters .. if you rent your landlords will pass the increase on to you ... I myself don't want to be stuck with such an additional increase the rest of my life.

Correct Information: Hueber Breuer has no financial interest in the outcome of this referendum. Their contract with the District is completed with the completion of the referendum. The size of the station is based on the amount of apparatus that needs to be stored. The community space is 18% of the total project , and will be used for both community use and fire department training. The cost of the project is driven by code requirements, and the District is committed to building a code compliant station so that all of the equipment stored inside is covered by insurance in case of fire or weather related damages.