Dougherty thanks voters for supporting ambulance volunteer award plan

Supervisor Jim Dougherty released a statement on Monday commenting on the overwhelming vote on Friday, August 3 — 180-13 including absentee ballots — in support of a Town Board proposal to set up a reward program for qualified ambulance voters age 65 and over.

“Our wonderful ambulance volunteers received a well-deserved overwhelming vote of confidence and gratitude from their Shelter Island neighbors Friday, with the  vote to endorse the Town Board’s action enacting a Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) for eligible Emergency Medical Services volunteers,” the supervisor wrote. “Congratulations to each of these hard-working volunteers and keep up the good work for all of us. Congratulations and thank you also to the close to 200 Shelter Island voters who found the time during our busy summer season to inform themselves and come out to vote.”

The supervisor added, “I kicked off the 2013 budget season last week and my colleagues and I will be diligently working to, as always, keep property taxes low while finding the means to pay the LOSAP costs of up to $100,000 a year starting retroactive to the beginning of this year. It won’t be easy but we will be up to the task.”