By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The village passed a joint fire protection agreement with the town, but not before the police chief who said he was speaking as a citizen voiced concerns about what he sees as disproportionate cost sharing.

The board voted 4-0 to approve a two-year deal that has the town paying $82,000 of the Massena Volunteer Fire Department’s $600,000 budget.

Mark LaBrake, who heads up Massena Police but identified as a citizen during public comment, said village taxpayers make up for the town’s unfairly small share of the bill.

The biggest concern I have is, over the past 10 years, about 32 percent of the fire calls have been in the town of Massena,” LaBrake said. “$82,000 does not cover anywhere near 32 percent of the cost. So the village residents and taxpayers, who I am, are paying a larger amount in tax dollars to provide fire service for the town.”

He said that since there is usually more than one truck running, it creates overtime.

“We could be using some of that funding we’re paying for fire services and using it for people paying for those fire services,” he said.

Village Trustee Matt LeBire agreed with LaBrake’s opinion.

“It does need to change and it does need to be addressed,” he said. “We do indeed have it on our radar.”