NOTICE OF REFERENDUM FOR EAST WILLISTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Referendum of the qualified voters in the Incorporated Village of East Williston in the service area of the East Williston Volunteer Fire Department, shall be held at the Village Hall, 2 Prospect Street, East Williston, New York on March 19, 2024 between the hours of 12:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. for the purpose of voting upon the amendment of a previously established Service Award Program under Article 11A of the General Municipal Law. The proposition shall be substantially in the following form: PROPOSITION SHALL the Defined Benefit Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) for the East Williston Fire Department be amended, effective January 1, 2025 TO ALLOW: First, that the “entitlement age”, or the minimum age at which a firefighter may begin to draw benefits, shall be amended to be 62 years of age as opposed to the current minimum of 65 years of age; Second, that a firefighter who has otherwise met the requirements to receive an entitlement shall be authorized to receive that entitlement for each year of firefighting service in which the firefighter satisfies the minimum participation requirements up to a maximum of 50 years, as opposed to the current maximum of 40 years; and Third, in the event that any active volunteer firefighter is either totally and temporarily disabled, or partially and permanently disabled, as certified by the workers’ compensation board or other competent authority approved by the Board, and the disability occurs during the course of service as a volunteer, while actively engaged in providing line of duty services, as defined in subdivision one of section five of the volunteer firefighters’ benefit law, the firefighter shall receive five points for each full month of such disability. Fourth, an active volunteer firefighter who at the direction of a Chief or Line Officer, and for no remuneration, presents a public education class on fire prevention to a school, not-for-profit corporation, or civic organization organized and existing under the laws of this state or authorized to conduct activities in this state shall receive one point per class up to a maximum of five points per reporting period. Said amendments shall: Change the estimated annual cost of the LOSAP from $130,000 to $151,300; Change the estimated annual share paid by each household in the Village for the LOSAP from $152.05 to $176.96; Change the estimated annual administrative fee from $15,000 to $18,400; Change the estimated annual cost per covered participant from $1,756.76 to $2,044.59. A participant must serve at least five years with the Department to vest. The monthly service award payment will be maintained at $20 for each year of credited East Williston Fire Department Volunteer Firefighter Service, and the maximum monthly award per eligible participant shall be maintained at $1,000 per month. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES JOANNA E. PALUMBOVILLAGE CLERK Dated: March 8, 2024
