Politics & Government
Fire Commissioner Candidates Share Views with Community
The two candidates share their views on issues before the elections on Tuesday.
Commack Fire District's election for commissioner is coming up on Tuesday. The two candidates, incumbent Robert Ingram and challenger Pat Fazio, will be running for a five-year term on the Commack Fire Department's Board. Here's a bit more about the candidates.
Pat Fazio
A lifelong Commack resident, with a family history in the Commack Fire Department, Pat Fazio has always been close to Commack's fire department, and even served as a volunteer firefighter from 1983 to 1989, before leaving for personal reasons. Fazio is also a retired New York City Police Officer, and has remained active with the fire department, organizing civic events, like comedy night, which have been very popular.
Find out what's happening in Commackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"I've got all the time in the world to devote to this position," said Fazio.
Above all, Fazio is looking for change on Fire District Board of Commissioners. "I just feel that change is good," he said. "Some of these guys have been on the board for over 20 years. Complacency becomes an issue. They're not as responsible as they claim to be."
Find out what's happening in Commackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Fazio especially cares about the district's effect on taxpayers, and wants to encourage transparency if elected as Commisionar. "I've done some research, and I'd like to get a newsletter out there," said the challenger. "I know there are public meetings but a lot of times I go and I'm the only one there. A lot of other districts do this, and I know there's a cost, but doing a newsletter at least 3 times a year could be an effective way to inform the community and taxpayers."
Fazio also questions the true fiscal responsibility of the current board. "They'll tell you the equipment purchases are necessary," said Fazio. "But they buy new equipment about every five years. There's no reason they can't get 20 years out of some of these trucks. They just bought a brand new $1.3 million ladder truck that they got by selling one they bought 9 years ago. They'll tell you it's because it has no pump, but they knew that when they bought it."
Fazio would like to take special care to continue fire prevention and education programs that are already in place. Though he agrees with the district's donating of chief's cars to other institutions, he questions whether or not giving them to the Commack School district was the best choice. "The district has a $3.3 million budget. The school has a $160 million budget. I'm not quite our donation couldn't have gone to someone who needed it a little bit more."
Robert Ingram
Robert Ingram, the incumbent fire commissioner, has been on the Commack Fire Department's Board of Commissioners for over 21 years. Seeking his 5th term as a commissioner of the publicly elected volunteer position, Ingram has been a Commack resident since 1957. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Board of Commissioners.
Despite his opponents claims that the district needs to be more fiscally responsible, Ingram stated at a recent CCA meeting that the district adheres strictly to it's budget.
"There's virtually no overspending," said Ingram. "In my 21 years we've been audited twice, and both have been perfect."
Like Fazio, Ingram is also in favor of greater transparency. "We have our monthly meeting that's open to the public," said the incumbent. " But we also want to focus on setting up a district website. Right now the Commack Fire Department has one, but not the district."
Ingram said the website would help to make an already transparent district easier to follow.
When the question of a paid department shift was posed, Ingram said he'd support it and it has its benefits. Ingram also said that further research into a volunteer pension plan is being researched.
The current chairman of the board wrote his doctorate paper on the emergency response of fire fighters in the first three hours of a nuclear disaster.