Police Chief Dan McMahon discussed the need for additional space to house a future Emergency Operations Center that he said FEMA would be requiring all municipalities to have in about two years.

The Emergency Management Committee includes the police department, highway department, the town's two fire departments and ambulance corps, school districts, Red Cross and representatives of Con Ed and NYSEG.

The chief wants to use the basement of the court building that is now used to store voting machines. Once the county purchases new voting machines (likely to happen in 2009 or 2010), the county will own and store and machines and the current ones will be destroyed, freeing up the space. He said this location was central and large enough to accommodate the involved parties. If the town approved the use of the space (he might only need a portion of the basement) he would apply for a grant to cover the cost of wiring the site, installing some ventilation and carpeting and getting a desk.

Councilman Bianco noted that other departments needed space and wondered if it made sense to use the basement for this purpose when it might only be used once a year.

No decision was reached.