A neighboring village has filed suit against Port Chester after they eliminated all their paid firefighters last week. The community relies on the volunteer firefighters to respond to calls now.
Rye Brook said the staffing change violates a shared services contract between the two villages that was agreed on in 2013, according to the lawsuit filed in the New York State supreme court.
"The village (of Rye Brook) has expectations that their fire department is going to be manned by a paid firefighter from the Village of Port Chester and that's not being done," Rye Brook Trustee Jeffrey Rednick told the Journal News.
The village wants the Port Chester firefighters reinstated to cover the night shift. They are also seeking to recover legal fees and overtime costs of about $2,000 per night since the firefighters were eliminated.
Rye Brook Mayor Paul Rosenberg said the contract outlined that a paid firefighter from Port Chester was supposed to be on duty daily.
"We have no other choice but to go to court and seek a court order which would mandate the reinstatement of the Port Chester paid firefighter," Rosenberg said.
"Although the Village of Rye Brook may believe a dispute has arisen in relation to our fire protection services agreement, it is choosing the wrong method of resolution, and we believe this lawsuit was served prematurely," Port Chester Mayor Dennis Pilla said.
