Crime & Safety

Melville Fire Commissioner Election

Residents will vote for the next member of the fire district board on Dec. 13.

On Tuesday, Dec. 13, residents of Melville Fire District will cast their ballots to determine who will serve on the board of fire commissioners for the next five years.

Running for the one open seat are James Coschignano, who has served in the volunteer position for 19 years, and challenger Richard Schuler who has been a volunteer fire fighter with the department for 22 years.

As costs rise, the main area of concern is providing a fiscally responsible spending plan, the candidates said.

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“We are in an unprecedented time of growth and challenge, and this is the time when strong management and experienced leadership can make the difference between maintaining a steady course and financial disaster,” Coschignano said. 

Coschignano, who is a lifelong resident of Melville, recently retired as Operations Manager for TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility) for the Federal Aviation Administration. His father, James Coschignano, Sr., was also a dedicated volunteer with the Melville Fire Department. 

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He says that his management experience, coupled with his time on the fireboard, gives him the knowledge and background to put forth a budget that focuses on the bottom line.

“We have to make sure that we keep the right talent at the table,” he commented.  “The budgets that our Fire Commissioners deal with are large, and poor decisions could easily undo everything that we have worked for in the last 19 years.”

Schuler, who has lived in Melville for more than 50 years and raised three children in the Half Hollow Hills School District, also has a leadership background, as special duty manager for the Long Island Railroad.

He says that his 30 years with the railroad and time as a firefighter with the department give him the necessary skills to keep Melville residents safe. 

"I believe that my background and experience will continue to bring effective management to our fire community, and provide the firefighters with the proper equipment to do their job effectively and safely.

He said that his goal is to provide “sound fiscal management policies to help make Melville the most effective and cost-efficient Fire District possible.”

Any registered voter who resides in the Melville Fire District is eligible to vote on Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 1-9 p.m. at 531 Sweet Hollow Road in Melville.

 


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