St James FD-FIre district is extended to include Head of the Harbor

February 24, 2020. There has been significant movement in the effort to expand the St. James Fire District to include Head of the Harbor Village.
The St. James Board of FIre Commissioners and the Head of the Harbor Village Board of Trustees reached a mutual agreement to make the village part of the fire district. Currently the village is served by the St. James Fire Department under a service contract with the fire district.If the fire district is expanded, village homeowners will be included in the district and will pay fire district property taxes.
At todays meeting, the St. James Board of Fire Commissioners unanimously approved a consent agreement to extend the district to include the village. The Head of the Harbor Village Board of Trustees then approved a home rule message in support of becoming part of the fire district.
Based on the mutual agreement between the fire district and the village, State Senator John Flanagan (R-East Northport) introduced legislation in the Senate and Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) introduced legislation in the Assembly to approve the expansion.
At its meeting Tuesday, March 3, the Smithtown Town Board voted unanimously to approve a home rule message in support of state legislation in the Senate and the Assembly. This Town Board ruling was the final bit of paperwork needed for the legislative package to be prepared to advance the bills in their respective houses. It is expected that the bills will be voted on at the end of the 2020 legislative sessions in June.
This change will allow residents of Head of the Harbor to vote on Fire District matters, to run for seats on the board and eliminates the need for a contract between the village and the fire district.