The link included with this post is to the Mukwonago Chief article about the breakup of the Big Bend-Vernon Fire Department. It's a relatively good article. The only inaccuracy is in the characterization of the intermunicipal agreement.
The agreement states that if both communities cannot adopt an identical budget by December 15th each year, then the department will dissolve by December 31 the next year. Nothing to do with state law.
The Town of Vernon Board of Supervisors have used this provision in the agreement as an excuse to dissolve the department over what I feel is the appropriate budgeting of legal fees that THE BOARD AGREED WAS A GOOD IDEA! Including CHAIRMAN MICHALEK!!! I'm convinced it's a control issue, nothing more. A control issue that's going to cost us a lot of money.
Anyway, I'll stop yelling now. Why the overwhelming need to control? I've been told by the Board directly and seen in their actions that they must directly control all actions taken, spending, etc. in the Town. Their attitude is that they were elected, so they MUST make these decisions. I STRONGLY DISAGREE! Having some appointed members of committees, commissions and other governing bodies helps add a measure of insight that the politicians may not feel compelled to add due to politics. Too much control in the hands of a small group is not a good thing.
My suggestion is to ask one of the former plan commission members how they feel about NONE of the electorate being involved in the decision making process. Mr. Craig? Mr. Batholomew? Mr. Bauer?
Bottom line is this, as a citizen you need to demand that the board provide the answers to these questions about our "new" fire department: How much will it cost to establish? How much will it cost to run on a yearly basis? What level of service will we have? How about having paramedic service?
If it costs the same with a lower level of service (which I'm sure it will), then why are we doing this?
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
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What was also not made clear was that the Town Board used the dissaloutionment clause in the intermunicipal agreement to break up the Fire Dept. As you said The Big Bend Board twice compromised to pass the same budget as the Town. The Town Board didn't even address that fact, and used another clause to accomplish their goal.
ReplyDeleteI too am willing to take calls at home 662-5027, and work 662-3340 to try and answer questions to the best of my ability.
Leah Fickau
Mr. Doble, you are correct, the 83/17 percentages, which are set up to spread the cost of fire and rescue services evenly from household to household, would have adjusted. But that fact meant the Town Board would have had to tell the WHOLE TRUTH, and thats just not in their game plan. Ever since I learned that the Vernon Board was upset about the development at the interchange I've wonder WHY? As elected officials shouldn't you be thinking "How can we get in on this project, the Village has already done most of the heavy lifting, maybe we could help develop some businesses of our own on neighboring lands" Why do you think the Town of Waukesha wanted the Village to run a pipe to the City of Waukesha? (An idea the Village looked into but proved to be cost prohibitive). So they could hook in and develop along 164!. Common sense isn't very common!
ReplyDeleteAnother question to ask is what happens after Jan 1st when there is a call near the intersection of 1-43 and 164, who will respond. With mutual aid and the fact that we are right there, we will be asked to be first responders as we are now. The difference will be that we won't be getting paid for it. I thought the mutual aid was disproportionate with Mukwonago; it will be much more with Big Bend.
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