Each Thursday, we put one of our local newsmakers On The Spot. This week: Auburn city councilor Gilda Brower
This week's question: Some members of the public were outraged that the Frederick Street fire station was closed with no warning. Shouldn't the public be informed before the city makes major changes such as this?
When the city manager announced the closing of the Fredrick Street Fire Station I agreed with the intent, which is to address in every possible way the many faceted challenges of a shrinking tax base and the taxes that can threaten a family's ability to keep their home.
Safety is the primary purpose of local government, and we are blessed as a community, to have excellent fire and police departments. They are highly trained, professional and devoted.
I visited Station 1 and was honored to meet the men and women we all rely upon for help in crisis.
I have visited many times with the students of the Montessori School, and I reminded the firefighters that they had been to my home four or five times over a 10-year period, when my parents and my husband's parents faced health crises.
So with personal indebtedness, and my responsibility as an elected official in mind, I recently met with them to be among them at this difficult time.
It is clear to me that the new procedures needed to adjust to the loss of a station will evolve, and will be excellent because of the expertise that exists there, but in the meantime, rewriting operating procedures takes time and presents challenges.
They are aware of the difficulties far more than I am, and they do not agree with the decision to close Station 2.
Yet every firefighter has maintained diligence, and in the long run I know Chief Hammon and his colleagues will do what is right for the safety of our firefighters and our city.
Not only is there diligence applied to day to day service to the city, but there is also a cooperative relationship in the form of “mutual aid agreements” with surrounding communities.
This cooperative effort and dedication characterizes the firefighting community as a whole.
If you have an On The Spot question, call news editor Mike Dowd at 253-5311 ext. 234 or
e-mail michael.dowd@lee.net
When the city manager announced the closing of the Fredrick Street Fire Station I agreed with the intent, which is to address in every possible way the many faceted challenges of a shrinking tax base and the taxes that can threaten a family's ability to keep their home.
Safety is the primary purpose of local government, and we are blessed as a community, to have excellent fire and police departments. They are highly trained, professional and devoted.
I visited Station 1 and was honored to meet the men and women we all rely upon for help in crisis.
I have visited many times with the students of the Montessori School, and I reminded the firefighters that they had been to my home four or five times over a 10-year period, when my parents and my husband's parents faced health crises.
So with personal indebtedness, and my responsibility as an elected official in mind, I recently met with them to be among them at this difficult time.
It is clear to me that the new procedures needed to adjust to the loss of a station will evolve, and will be excellent because of the expertise that exists there, but in the meantime, rewriting operating procedures takes time and presents challenges.
They are aware of the difficulties far more than I am, and they do not agree with the decision to close Station 2.
Yet every firefighter has maintained diligence, and in the long run I know Chief Hammon and his colleagues will do what is right for the safety of our firefighters and our city.
Not only is there diligence applied to day to day service to the city, but there is also a cooperative relationship in the form of “mutual aid agreements” with surrounding communities.
This cooperative effort and dedication characterizes the firefighting community as a whole.
If you have an On The Spot question, call news editor Mike Dowd at 253-5311 ext. 234 or
e-mail michael.dowd@lee.net
