Government

Preview: Village Board to vote on new Fire Fighter lease

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO |Firefighter may remain in Greenport.
KATHARINE SCHROEDER FILE PHOTO |The Fire Fighter may remain in Greenport after all.

The Greenport Village board is expected to vote tonight on a measure that would allow the fireboat Fire Fighter to continue leasing space at the commercial railroad dock on a month-to-month basis.

At last week’s board meeting, Village Trustee George Hubbard proposed renting a spot at the Greenport Harbor location to the non-profit museum for $200 a month — regardless of Suffolk County’s efforts to see the boat removed from the county-owned but village-run dock.

The resolution would retract an earlier board vote in January, when members voted unanimously to prohibit Fire Fighter from docking at any village-controlled dock. Although the village operates the dock, the county retains the right to refuse any sublease agreement the village signs.

January’s board vote came in response to pressure from Suffolk County, which has been threating legal action against the nonprofit since November and most recently ordered the boat to vacate the premises before March 31, Mr. Hubbard said. He now believes the fireboat should be able to stay in Greenport, at least, on a short-term basis in order to give the 134-foot boat more time to relocate.

Museum president Charlie Ritchie he is still hopeful Fire Fighter can remain in Greenport and expected to present during tonight’s vote.

The village’s work session is tonight in the Third Street fire station at 6 p.m.

View the full agenda below:

Agenda Board of Trustees Regular Session 3-24-2014