A Length of Service Award Program or LOSAP for active volunteer firefighter members of the Rhinebeck Fire Department has been proposed via resolution. A public referendum to vote on the resolution (#10132026-01) will take place on Tuesday December 8, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM upstairs at the Rhinebeck Village Hall: 76 East Market St Rhinebeck, NY 12572.
Program details can be found HERE
Below, please see the official notice for the Public Referendum as well as the proposition that will appear on the ballot.
For any questions, please contact the Village Clerk at 845-876-7015 option 3 or mmcclinton@villageofrhinebeck.gov
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to General Municipal Law Section 216, a public referendum of the eligible residents of the Village of Rhinebeck will take place on Tuesday, December 8th, 2026, between the hours of 12 pm and 9 pm at the Rhinebeck Village Hall, located at 76 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY for the purpose of voting upon the following proposition:
SHALL THE RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF RHINEBECK, ADOPTED OCTOBER 13th, 2026, AUTHORIZING, PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 11-A OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2027, TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE VILLAGE OF RHINEBECK FOR ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE OF RHINEBECK FIRE DEPARTMENT; STATING THAT UNDER THE PROGRAM A $1,200 ANNUAL SERVICE AWARD SHALL BE CREDITED TO A PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER’S SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM ACCOUNT AT THE END OF EACH YEAR AFTER 2026 DURING WHICH THE PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER EARNED A YEAR OF SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM SERVICE CREDIT AND THAT AN ADDITIONAL $1,200 SERVICE AWARD SHALL ALSO BE CREDITED TO THE ACCOUNTS OF ELIGIBLE PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEERS FOR EACH YEAR UP TO A MAXIMUM OF FIVE (5) YEARS OF SUCH SERVICE CREDIT EARNED FOR CALENDAR YEARS PRIOR TO 2027 AND AFTER CALENDAR YEAR 2021; STATING THAT THE TOTAL YEARS OF SERVICE CREDIT AND NUMBER OF SERVICE AWARDS THAT CAN BE EARNED IS FOURTY; THAT STATING THAT SUCH PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER’S ACCOUNT BALANCE WITH EARNED INVESTMENT INCOME THEREON SHALL BE THE PARTICIPATING FIREFIGHTER’S ACCRUED SERVICE AWARD; STATING THAT UNDER THE PROGRAM PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEERS SHALL BE PAID, GENERALLY, AT AGE 65, THE ENTITLEMENT AGE, A LUMP-SUM PAYMENT OR 2 EQUAL ANNUAL INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS OR ANY OTHER ACTUARIALLY EQUIVALENT FORM OF PAYMENT APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES EQUAL TO THE PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER’S ACCRUED SERVICE AWARD; STATING THAT A PARTICIPANT BECOMES 100% VESTED UPON EARNING FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE CREDIT, ATTAINING THE ENTITLEMENT AGE, BEING AWARDED A TOTAL AND PERMANENT DISABILITY OR DYING WHILE AN ACTIVE MEMBER; STATING THAT ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER MEMBERS AGE 65 AND OLDER MAY EARN OR CONTINUE TO EARN SERVICE CREDIT AND SHALL BE PAID OR CONTINUE TO BE PAID ADDITIONAL SERVICE AWARDS; STATING PRE-ENTITLEMENT AGE DEATH BENEFITS SHALL BE PAYABLE UNDER THE PROGRAM EQUAL TO THE PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER’S ACCRUED SERVICE AWARD EARNED AS OF THE DATE OF DEATH; STATING THAT PRE-ENTITLEMENT AGE DISABILITY BENEFITS SHALL BE PAYABLE UNDER THE PROGRAM EQUAL TO THE PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER’S ACCRUED SERVICE AWARD EARNED UP TO THE DECEMBER 31 PRECEDING THE TIME THE PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEER'S TOTAL AND PERMANENT DISABILITY SHALL BE AWARDED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES; STATING THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST PAYABLE BY THE VILLAGE OF THE PROGRAM TO BE ABOUT $47,700 FOR CURRENT VOLUNTEERS WHICH SHALL INCLUDE AN ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION FEE OF ABOUT $4,500; STATING SUCH ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST TO BE ABOUT $1,325 FOR EACH ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER; STATING THE ESTIMATED COST OF GRANTING SERVICE CREDIT FOR SERVICE RENDERED IN THE 5 YEARS IMMEDIATELY PRECEEDING 2027 MAY BE AS MUCH AS $168,000 TO BE PAID IN TEN EQUAL ANNUAL INSTALLMENTS BY THE VILLAGE OF RHINEBECK. AFTER THE PRIOR SERVICE LIABILITY HAS BEEN PAID, THE COST OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE REDUCED TO ONLY THE COST OF BENEFITS AND ADMINISTRATION; AUTHORIZING THE PAYMENT OF PROGRAM BENEFITS TO EFFECTIVELY COMMENCE JANUARY 1, 2027 AS PARTICIPATING VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR PAYMENTS; AND APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNTS THEREFORE, BE APPROVED?
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a copy of the aforesaid resolution and a copy of the Point System for earning service credit referred to in said resolution are available for inspection at the Rhinebeck Village Hall, located at 76 East Market Street, Rhinebeck NY, 12572 and that every person who shall be a registered voter and who shall have resided in the Village of Rhinebeck for a period of thirty (30) days immediately preceding the referendum shall be eligible to vote upon the proposition.
MARTINA MCCLINTON, VILLAGE CLERK