[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Cooperstown 3-6-1972 as § 4.1 of the 1972
Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The foremen of the different fire companies
shall act as inspectors of election on the first Monday in May in
each and every year and shall receive and canvass the ballots cast
and declare the results of such election, and such election shall
be held between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. of that day,
and in the absence of the foreman of any company, the next officer
in rank in such company shall furnish to such inspectors a list of
all members of their respective companies in good standing, and such
only shall be entitled to vote.
It shall be the duty of the Chief, in addition
to the responsibilities charged in Article 10 of the Village Law,
to keep a strict watch and inspection over all the apparatus belonging
to the Department and at all times, to the best of his ability, to
promote the interests of the Department and all the companies belonging
thereto, and to present matters of the different companies to the
Board of Trustees of the Village.
It shall be the duty of the Assistant Chiefs
to assist the Chief in the discharge of his duties, and in his absence
the first in rank is to perform his duties and have the same powers
as the Chief.
The Chief and Assistant Chiefs shall have the
direction and control of the Fire Department, subject to the supervision
of the Board of Trustees.
When property is removed from any building to
protect against damage resulting from fire, it shall be the duty of
the Chief to turn such property over for safekeeping to the owner,
to his representative, or to a responsible officer of the community.
When a building is on fire, the Chief in charge
and two members of the Board of Trustees may order such building or
buildings in proximity thereto to be pulled down or otherwise destroyed,
if they deem it necessary to check the progress of the conflagration.
[Added 6-20-1994 by L.L. No. 2-1994]
A.
This section shall be known as "Removing Restrictions
Preventing Village Board Member from also Serving as Chief or Assistant
Chief of Village Fire Department."
B.
Village Law § 10-1012 presently prevents
a member of a village board of trustees from simultaneously serving
as a chief or assistant chief of a village fire department, except
as otherwise provided.
C.
Municipal Home Rule Law allows a municipality to make
changes to the state law in certain situations where it would be in
the best interest of the community to do so, and whereas in this particular
situation wherein a present member of the Village Board is also a
candidate for Assistant Chief of the Village Fire Department, due
to the low numbers of people available for these positions, it is
in the best interest of the community to remove this restriction.
D.
Any restriction preventing a Village Board member
from simultaneously serving as Chief or Assistant Chief of the Village
Fire Department is hereby declared null and void.
