Stamford Volunteer Fire Departments Sue to Challenge Consolidation

Three volunteer fire departments in Stamford, Connecticut have filed suit to challenge the city’s efforts to consolidate them into a single, unified fire department that includes the city’s career firefighters.

The three departments, Turn of River, Long Ridge and Springdale Volunteer Fire Departments, are seeking to challenge the validity of recent charter changes adopted last November by the voters. The suit was filed last month in Superior Court.

Attorney Mark Kovack, who represents the three plaintiff departments, was quoted by the Stamford Advocate as saying “We do have bona fide, serious legal reservations as to whether the changes are constitutional… If the changes, all or some or part, are found to be unlawful … then we would ask the court to declare those particular amendments legally null and void.”

Two other volunteer fire departments in Stamford, Belltown and Glenbrook VFDs, opted not to join the suit.

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