UPDATED – Repurposing Rowlee Beach

FULTON – (December 4th, 2024) – Councilor’s response to comments regarding the proposed Rowlee Beach project for First Responders Training Location.

Oswego County Today asked City Councilors Avery, Cobb, and Taylor if there is any money coming from Fulton taxpayers or any budget line at all.

Councilor Avery said, “No. The only thing that Chief Ketchum said to me personally was next year, the remainder of the paint, they were going to figure out how to pay for it. It’s not in the budget.” This project is not paid for out of any budget. Chief Ketcham has a $20,000 grant that will be used for the Pole barn construction. The Chief is looking for other grants as well. He is also looking for help from the community in the same way Burke’s Home Center helped with the paint that will be used. “So, no, it’s not a money grab, and it’s not an election ploy by any means.” Councilor Avery Added.

Councilor Cobb said, “I’d like to, I’d like to touch on it. This is a City-owned property. What the biggest thing is these people can be there that work for the city in five minutes. They’re not traveling to Fort Drum, where you know it’s an hour and a half there, and we pay overtime for all this stuff. So this is, this is something that’s locally done. The training will be here right in our city.”  Other local fire and police departments will be able to use it. This would generate revenues for the department as well. “So it has nothing to do really with the taxpayer. This is about saving the city money through overtime hours.” Councilor Cobb added.

Councilor Cobb commented, “Right now it’s dead land. So now we’re putting it to something useful. It’s a win win for us.”

Councilor Avery said, “Well, you know there are residents, one particularly, that wants it to be a pond again. It isn’t safe. The state will not allow us to open that pond back up. It isn’t filtered even though it is spring-fed. It is not safe for people to swim. The Pool is gone. We don’t have $800,000 to build a new pool. We don’t have that type of money.”

Years ago, Mayor Woodward said in a Mayor’s Minute video from Oswego County Today. Fly a helicopter over Fulton, and you will find many homes with pools in their back yard. Even if Fulton could restore the public pool or pond. Fulton can’t afford to staff it. Even more, the usage of public swimming places usage has dropped of the years because of the family’s pools.

Councilor Taylor added, “I’m not sending our police and Fireman out of the city. You know, long-term cost. And as far as tax money paying for this. I’m working on grant funding right now from a reliable source. I guess I don’t want to say who it is. But I’m working on getting some grant funding for this project, and it could. Be substantial, it could be beyond what they already have.”

“Our fire district, our firemen, and 43 firefighters are really excited about this project,” Councilor Cobb added.

The first real saving to the city taxpayers is the reduction of overtime, as Chief Ketcham said. Training takes place here in the city. Saving paying first responders overtime for travel and the overtime to pay another responder to be on shift while at training.

FULTON (December 2nd, 2024- Why does the fire department need a new training facility? “When I got here, they were using Kmart as a training center, and it’s been since released by a new company. So we kind of got invited not to come back there. We needed a place to store all our stuff. Rowlee Beach came up.” Fire Chief Ketcham said. Chief Ketcham worked collaboratively with Police Chief Curtis to develop it into a year-round training center. Focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and emergency preparedness, the facility will offer comprehensive training that aligns with national standards, including NFPA 3000 compliance for active shooter and hostile event response training.

Architectural insights from a licensed architect and cost-effective renovation strategies are currently in play. The facility will feature a new color scheme, a deep, rich gray paired with red windows and doors, as well as a black roof inspired by the Minetto Fire Department. Over 40% of the required paint has been generously donated by Burke’s Home Center.

Plans for the site include the addition of a pole barn to enhance training capabilities, with offices and classrooms to be constructed within the existing structure. Significant security measures are also being looked at, including the installation of surveillance cameras and the introduction of a daily drone patrol program.

To support the renovation and operational costs, several grant applications have already been submitted, including a notable $20,000 grant for initial renovations and a joint application in collaboration with neighboring municipalities for further funding. Community engagement remains a priority, with plans to maintain public access to surrounding park areas while improving roadway accessibility.

The new facility will bolster the skills of officers and firefighters, local emergency services are implementing sustainment training focused on refining capabilities beyond basic academy instruction. This initiative aims to align with NFPA 3000 compliance, enhancing preparedness for active shooter situations and hostile events.

Additionally, the department is prioritizing operational efficiency by conducting training sessions within the city, thereby reducing the need for off-site locations and minimizing overtime costs. Chief Ketcham added, “If we send our people outside of the city off duty, it automatically not only generates overtime for them to go train, it generates overtime for me to cover the position back here. So you’re talking a hundred dollars an hour, basically $75 to $100, depending on who’s out there training and who’s covering them per individual per day.”  These efforts reflect a commitment to ensuring that local emergency responders are well-equipped to handle critical incidents while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

Chief Ketcham added a statement “Fulton New York is a small city with big city problems and when you try to solve big city problems with a small city budget, you need a strong, competent team, willing to put in the work and this is exactly what I found in Fulton. I am quickly understanding that there was a reason my grandfather chose this community to raise his family. I’m excited for this town and its future.”

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