CATO - The Cato Town Board held a public hearing on fire contracts at its meeting Tuesday night as the town debated the issue of whether the Meridian Fire Dept. would come back to cover the town's Fire District No 1.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
at a public session of the Town of Cato meeting, Cato resident Louis House, right, speaks about the good service and community activity from the Meridian Fire Department as Meridian Fire Chief Amed Perrotta, left, sits and listens on Tuesday.
at a public session of the Town of Cato meeting, Cato resident Louis House, right, speaks about the good service and community activity from the Meridian Fire Department as Meridian Fire Chief Amed Perrotta, left, sits and listens on Tuesday.
A resolution may not take place until the next board meeting Nov. 6 when a public hearing will be held on the 2009 budget.
Cato, Jordan, and Meridian contracts are renewable one-year contracts. If the village of Cato's Fire department contract is based on last year's service, it decreases from $1.30 per thousand assessed valuation to $1.09 per thousand. If the town includes the Meridian Fire Department, then the rate remains the same as last year, with no decrease.
Several members of the Jordan Fire Department, covering the northern section of Fire District No.1, made a presentation prior to the public hearing to show interest in continuing service to the town of Cato.
“Jordan Fire Department has offered to provide fire services if you so desire,” Fire Chief Douglas Milton said, “at the same price per year for 2009 and two years after.”
Town supervisor Charles Ray said that by sticking with current contracts for the 2009 budget, the savings townwide would amount to $8,000 or $9,000. He explained that Jordan would not adjust its total figure but would keep it the same despite an increase in assessments.
Milton stressed Jordan's quality service, including an increase in interior firefighters from 29 to 35, as well as the ability to rotate 1/3 of its members and still provide good service. Numerous drills, tests, and even a dive team practicing at Cross Lake helped reactivate its water rescue team.
Milton mentioned services that often go unnoticed.
“We cleared the road as a function of the fire department,” he said.
When the power is out, there is a serious risk of fire. The fire department is often the first to alert the power company of downed wires.
“We wouldn't want to lose a kid to a candle,” Milton said.
Linda Root, of Jordan, praised the Jordan Fire Department for being proactive in showing the campers how they help.
“I'm very reassured,” she said.
Neil Farrar, of Fire Lane 13, supported her comments.
As the public hearing began, Don Thompson, deputy mayor of the village of Cato, offered to provide any further information that the town needed to help make their decision.
“Nobody's got anything against any fire department,” town resident Ralph Taylor said. “But 700 people signed a petition last year to support the Meridian Fire Department and the two people who voted against it are gone. What are we doing here? If the voters didn't send a strong message last November, nobody will.”
Resident Mike Grant asked for a comparison of active firefighters in each department. Meridian had the least compared to Cato and Jordan, with only three interior firefighters at Meridian, one short of a required four. However, its training figures improved from last year and it handed in its paperwork.
Amed Perrotta, Meridian Fire Chief, said there were no deficiencies in equipment maintenance.
“The pumps run monthly and are tested yearly,” he said. “All equipment is up to par where it should be for test levels.”
One resident suggested splitting Fire District No.1 between Meridian and Jordan. but Meridian would have to receive the same rate as Jordan under the law.
Dean Cummins suggested consolidation to save money.
“It really needs for us to come together,” he said. “I hate to see anyone (Meridian Fire District) 105 years old go away.”
Meridian Fire Department, with the help of fund-raisers, continued to serve the village of Meridian as it had contracted to do during 2008 while it lost the 70 percent of its income without the Cato contract.
Linda J. Chapman (R, C) and Ronald L. Dennison (R), two of three councilors who voted against keeping Meridian last year, were replaced by W. Irving Foster (D) and Stefan J. (Stuffy) House (D).
Problems with Meridian went back to 2007 contract negotiations, when the board froze Meridian's payment at $64,000 because required financial records were insufficient.
After a grace period of a year, Meridian failed to submit requested inspection and testing records for equipment with its bid, and was replaced by Jordan.
Cato, Jordan, and Meridian contracts are renewable one-year contracts. If the village of Cato's Fire department contract is based on last year's service, it decreases from $1.30 per thousand assessed valuation to $1.09 per thousand. If the town includes the Meridian Fire Department, then the rate remains the same as last year, with no decrease.
Several members of the Jordan Fire Department, covering the northern section of Fire District No.1, made a presentation prior to the public hearing to show interest in continuing service to the town of Cato.
“Jordan Fire Department has offered to provide fire services if you so desire,” Fire Chief Douglas Milton said, “at the same price per year for 2009 and two years after.”
Town supervisor Charles Ray said that by sticking with current contracts for the 2009 budget, the savings townwide would amount to $8,000 or $9,000. He explained that Jordan would not adjust its total figure but would keep it the same despite an increase in assessments.
Milton stressed Jordan's quality service, including an increase in interior firefighters from 29 to 35, as well as the ability to rotate 1/3 of its members and still provide good service. Numerous drills, tests, and even a dive team practicing at Cross Lake helped reactivate its water rescue team.
Milton mentioned services that often go unnoticed.
“We cleared the road as a function of the fire department,” he said.
When the power is out, there is a serious risk of fire. The fire department is often the first to alert the power company of downed wires.
“We wouldn't want to lose a kid to a candle,” Milton said.
Linda Root, of Jordan, praised the Jordan Fire Department for being proactive in showing the campers how they help.
“I'm very reassured,” she said.
Neil Farrar, of Fire Lane 13, supported her comments.
As the public hearing began, Don Thompson, deputy mayor of the village of Cato, offered to provide any further information that the town needed to help make their decision.
“Nobody's got anything against any fire department,” town resident Ralph Taylor said. “But 700 people signed a petition last year to support the Meridian Fire Department and the two people who voted against it are gone. What are we doing here? If the voters didn't send a strong message last November, nobody will.”
Resident Mike Grant asked for a comparison of active firefighters in each department. Meridian had the least compared to Cato and Jordan, with only three interior firefighters at Meridian, one short of a required four. However, its training figures improved from last year and it handed in its paperwork.
Amed Perrotta, Meridian Fire Chief, said there were no deficiencies in equipment maintenance.
“The pumps run monthly and are tested yearly,” he said. “All equipment is up to par where it should be for test levels.”
One resident suggested splitting Fire District No.1 between Meridian and Jordan. but Meridian would have to receive the same rate as Jordan under the law.
Dean Cummins suggested consolidation to save money.
“It really needs for us to come together,” he said. “I hate to see anyone (Meridian Fire District) 105 years old go away.”
Meridian Fire Department, with the help of fund-raisers, continued to serve the village of Meridian as it had contracted to do during 2008 while it lost the 70 percent of its income without the Cato contract.
Linda J. Chapman (R, C) and Ronald L. Dennison (R), two of three councilors who voted against keeping Meridian last year, were replaced by W. Irving Foster (D) and Stefan J. (Stuffy) House (D).
Problems with Meridian went back to 2007 contract negotiations, when the board froze Meridian's payment at $64,000 because required financial records were insufficient.
After a grace period of a year, Meridian failed to submit requested inspection and testing records for equipment with its bid, and was replaced by Jordan.
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