Judge freezes some Copenhagen Fire Department accounts

COPENHAGEN, New York (WWNY) - A judge has put restrictions on the defunct Copenhagen Fire Department after the village took the department to court.

The village claims the department’s trucks, turnout gear and some bank accounts belong to the taxpayer. The department feels differently.

The village voted to disband the fire department last fall following accounting concerns after a scathing state audit of the department’s books. Several towns also pulled funding from the fire department.

In January, Copenhagen Village Attorney Candace Randall filed a complaint with Lewis County State Supreme Court against Copenhagen Fire Department Inc. and former fire chief T.J. Williams.

The complaint alleged that the former fire department has not returned any firefighting gear, equipment, or vehicles after a court ordered it to do so last November.

Here’s what the judge decided:

• All but two department accounts are frozen
• No large payments from remaining accounts can be made without disclosure
• All trucks and equipment are to remain in the building unless they’re taken out for maintenance with the village attorney’s knowledge
• The plow truck can only be used by members if there’s a snow emergency
• The bus can’t be used unless there’s a court approval

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