Editor’s note: Tom Migliorino, a volunteer firefighter with the Yulan Fire Department and a Highland town board member, submitted following statement about the physical altercation he had with fellow firefighter Jeff Haas at the firehouse on January 25 (see related story, "Altercation breaks out among Yulan firefighters"):

I would like to start off by apologizing to my courageous and selfless brothers and sisters of the Yulan Fire Department and Highland Ambulance Squad for allowing this to happen on premises. It’s important that the people of the Town of Highland know that the incident had nothing to do with any of the valued volunteers besides D. Jeff Haas and should not reflect negatively on either of these organizations.

Jeff Haas needs to come to terms with the fact that he is no longer town supervisor and should not continue to try to control my or anyone else’s decision making with regards to town business. When I was campaigning, I did not promise some people but all people of the town that I would fight for what’s best for this town we love. I am a man of my word.

Jeff made a very poor and embarrassing decision to file charges. He involved the Yulan Fire Department and made non-factual and incorrect statements about me, the situation, and what actually happened. This was a strictly personal matter that should have been handled between two men and then left alone. I had no choice but to file countercharges against both Jeff Sr. and Jr. I will not elaborate on the details of the incident at this time but I will say that the [Mid-Hudson News] article that was run on 02/03/24 was an absolute lie. I would recommend, as a past town supervisor and current trustee of the Yulan Fire Department, that Jeff Haas drop all charges so as to not further embarrass nor harm the reputation of the YFD any more than it already has.

I hope that this situation can be resolved quickly so that we can move on and focus on positive and productive issues and projects for the Town of Highland.

Tom Migliorino

Town of Highland