By AMANDA HOFFMANN
Registered voters in the fire district can cast their votes at Oceanside Fire Headquarters, 65 Foxhurst Rd., between 3 and 9 p.m. Dec. 9. Fewer than 1,000 of approximately 20,000 registered voters cast ballots in the last election, in 2007.
Fire commissioners, who serve five-year terms, set the tax rate and administer the district budget. In 2008, the fire district collected almost $5 million by way of property taxes. The 2009 budget remained the same as 2008’s.
Both candidates said, that if elected, they would make fiscal responsibility a top priority in today's economic climate. "With today's economy, you have to be able to, as the expression goes, think outside the box and look at things from different directions," said Bresin, a retired Nassau County fire marshal and a part-time fire safety consultant.
Bresin added that many of the department's expenses are mandated by laws that he believes can be tweaked to reduce spending without impacting the quality of service or firefighters’ safety. "I am looking at fine-tuning, changing or adjusting certain laws to reduce the burden of expenses for all the fire districts, not just Oceanside," he said. "The reduced cost would be a savings of money for all districts."
Fortin, a retired New York City firefighter, said that one way he would try to keep taxpayers’ dollars in their pockets is by subsidizing the cost of equipment through grants. Recently, Fortin helped the fire district apply for — and receive — a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant that enabled it to purchase new breathing apparatus for firefighters at little cost to taxpayers.
"I want to keep the tax rate down," Fortin said, "but still take into account the safety of the firefighters, because it's an important priority." He said he also helped the current board of fire commissioners research alternative equipment, like an aerial ladder that will replace an aging ladder truck that had become costly to repair.
Fortin and Bresin are longtime Oceanside residents, Fortin is a native and Bresin was born in Brooklyn, and both are graduates of Oceanside High School. Fortin joined the fire department as a volunteer 38 years ago; Bresin has been a member for nearly 40 years. Each has served as captain, lieutenant and chief of the department.
For the last 12 years, Bresin said, he has been responsible for inspections and fire safety systems at the five major malls in Nassau County. "And none of them burnt down, so you know I'm doing a good job," he joked.
Fortin was a city firefighter for 23 years, and since his retirement he has turned his attention to the Oceanside department. "A spot came open, and I had done some things for the board as the head of training for a while," Fortin said. "I thought, Let me just give it a shot and see what happens. I think I have some things to offer."
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