Brewer Fire Engine Company sues Monsey Fire District

It was standing room only at the Muncie Fire District Thursday morning. Rural fire engine company members and taxpayers attended an 8 a.m. meeting, speaking passionately against the district. Last month, they announced plans to cut ties with Brewer and go with the newly formed Muncie Fire Rescue and future paid firefighters. And you know that my family's tax money is being wasted. You need to put it to a vote for every taxpayer. 43 years I'm in this company and you just destroyed it. Destroyed it for no reason. The fire commissioners were served with a lawsuit from Brewer and its members before the meeting started. The suit alleges the district retaliated against the company and its volunteer members for challenging district policies. Additionally, it alleges firefighters were paid as janitors to get around civil service law. Brad Kinski is the attorney for Brewer. They have a very good community of volunteers, and they just got rid of them for no other purpose other than they stuck up against illegal policies and procedures that were implemented to retaliate against them. The fire district responded to the lawsuit. So a lot of this, I think, is just noise and potentially distractions, and the district will continue to focus to improve the fire service in the area. In Wesley Hills, Rockland County, Diane Caruso, News 12.