Lido-Point Lookout Fire District to present designs

The Lido and Point Lookout Fire District will present residents with conceptual designs for a firehouse renovation plan on Jan. 21, six months after voters defeated a $7 million renovation bond referendum.

That original bond proposal would have allowed the district to repair and expand firehouses damaged in superstorm Sandy, but the proposal failed 758-260 in a July vote.

The fire district has two fire houses that need repairs and upgrades, said Andy Richter, a commissioner with the district.

District officials are trying to involve the public in the next round of design plans, because residents complained they were left out of the process last time, he said.

"We'll have as many meetings as needed to get the community on board," Richter said. "We're hoping that if we have this series of meetings, and get on the same page together, the bond vote will be nothing more than a formality."

Richter said more meetings are possible beyond the one now set.

The district is waiting until after the public weighs in to decide on the amount and timetable for the new bond vote.

Don Kelly, president of Point Lookout Property Owners, said the fire commissioners need to sell the public on the plan before a vote. He said they would have better luck if they set up a community advisory group that will work on the new plan with the commissioners.

"We just feel that the whole picture has to be looked at aggressively," Kelly said. "I just don't want to see the commissioners go down again and have it fail."

The Jan. 21 meeting is scheduled for six weeks after Greg Naham, a real estate consultant with no connection to the district, won an open seat for fire commissioner against two longtime department members. Naham ran on a platform that the commission has not done enough to reach out to residents since the bond referendum failed.

Attempts to reach Naham Monday were not successful.

The Jan. 21 meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the district's main firehouse, on Lido Boulevard and Hewlett Avenue.