DRYDEN, NY (607NewsNow) – A unified fire district has been approved in Dryden.

On Oct. 15, after a joint public hearing, officials voted on a resolution to establish a joint fire district in the Town and Village of Dryden and the Village of Freeville.

It will include all of the Town of Dryden and incorporated Villages of Dryden and Freeville, except the portion of the Town of Dryden currently included in the McLean Fire District.

Town Supervisor Jason Leifer previously told 607NewsNow/WHCU that the WB Strong Company, Varna Volunteer Fire Company, and Neptune Hose Company would keep their names and operational structures, adding that the joint district would ultimately save on costs and is in the public’s interest.

Residents have 30 days from the Oct. 15 approval to petition for a permissive referendum vote, allowing them an opportunity to block the district’s formation.  Otherwise, the new district will officially begin operating on February 1, 2027.

Municipal officials will appoint a five-member Board of Fire Commissioners to govern the district from February 1 until December 31, 2027.  After the initial appointment, board members will be voted in during annual fire district elections.

Additionally, the resolution includes a clause waiving restrictions in Town Law section 189-f, meaning the Board of Fire Commissioners in the Dryden Joint Fire District could acquire real property or easements without first seeking approval from town and village boards. It gives the district more autonomy, but it would still be subject to budgeting requirements, public meeting laws, and procurement rules.