Currently, the service awards program instituted in 1996 allows active firefighters (who must each attend established minimums of fire calls, training, and other activities) to earn $10 per month for each year of active service. Therefore, a firefighter who fulfills his or her obligation each year for 20 years will receive a pension of $200 per month when they reach the entitlement age of 65.

      The original service awards program, and the proposed increase, is designed to attract and retain firefighters, and allow for an incentive to stay active in the volunteer rolls. In the economic reality of today’s world, most families have both spouses at work, many of whom work multiple jobs. It has become increasingly difficult to find individuals to ‘donate’ their time to a volunteer organization such as a Fire Department.

      “Every one of our members gives several hundred hours a year to this community in the form of emergency responses, drills, fundraising activities and maintenance of equipment and the firehouses,” says William Scolza, Mombasha Fire Company President. “Monroe residents are very fortunate to have such selfless individuals who are willing to take time away from their families, hobbies, and social obligations to serve others. All the work that we do here basically amounts to each of us working an additional part-time job for free. Village taxpayers save enormous sums of money each and every year because we are 100% volunteer. To staff a paid department would be a tremendous expenditure and a huge financial burden on the community.”

      The Mombasha Fire Company is also known as the Monroe Fire Department because its equipment is owned by the Village of Monroe and is an agency of the village government. In addition to protecting the entire village proper, the MFC is contracted by the Village of Kiryas Joel to provide their fire protection and by the Town of Monroe for services in certain portions of the town adjacent to the village.

      Within the Town boundaries are two other Fire Departments, the Lakeside Fire Department, which protects certain portions of the unincorporated Town of Monroe, and The Harriman Fire Department, protecting the citizens of its village. Each of those departments has their own service awards program, and since they are completely different entities than the Mombasha Fire Company / Monroe Fire Department, this vote does not affect them in any way. Only registered voters who reside in the Village of Monroe are eligible to vote, because the service awards program for the Mombasha Fire Company is funded solely through Village of Monroe taxpayers.

      If the referendum passes, village taxpayers can expect to see an increase of approximately $.18 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. This would translate to just $9 a year for a home with an assessed value of $50,000.

      However, the resulting benefit would be tremendous. Fire Chief Jeff Mahran says that the increase would aid in recruitment and, more importantly, help with the retention of the more experienced members. “Right now, under the current service awards program, there is no ability to earn benefits beyond 20 years of service. So I will have nothing to offer my more experienced firemen by way of incentive to continue coming around once they reach the 20 year mark. If this passes, I expect to see increased participation by my most seasoned veterans because they will feel that they are getting something back for their time.”

      President Scolza adds another point; “A five-year vesting period serves as further incentive to continue to volunteer, and protects the system against anyone looking to join just for the financial benefits. In other words, you must serve a minimum of 5 years active service to receive any money at all when you reach retirement at age 65. You can’t just join, take the money and run. You need to put your time in and contribute.”

      The Vote, on Tuesday, March 16th, 2004 is open to registered Village of Monroe residents. Polling hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Monroe Village Hall, located at 7 Stage Road.