In a recent memo to the Salisbury City Council, John Pick (the "City Administrator") discussed the "negotiation," if you can call it that, by the City and County for renewal of their "Fire Service Agreement," which apparently controls the allocation among the fire companies of the County’s funding for fire services. Under the current scheme – in which each company gets the same share of the pie provided by the County – the City receives 28% of the total. However, the City fire companies respond to about 42 % of fire calls and almost 70% of EMS calls and their service area includes 55% of the County residents, many of whom reside outside the City.
As discussed in the memo, the City requested a much more equitable allocation on the basis of the calls handled – as done in Worcester County – which would probably double the funding share and amount received by the City fire companies, but that was flatly rejected by the County. So Mr. Pick, surely with Ireton’s OK, has recommended that the current funding share continue for 3 more years under a written agreement. During her final years as mayor, Barrie Tilghman would only consent to an annual extension of the very unfair arrangement, in which the City gets the much shorter end of the stick.
Ireton’s response is ridiculous. Why has he not gone before the County Council at one of its meeting and demanded fair treatment of the City? Instead of doing that, he has proposed that the City should donate land for a new County library.
11 comments:
The couty IS fair in dividing up the money equally. There is more that just call volume that should decide how the funding gets divided.
The city fire departments get additional funding from the city, additionally they get paid money for each ems call, thus the more calls, the more money.
The county volunteer fire companies don't have the extra money from the city, or local government funding and since the volume of calls is lower, the ems reimbursement is lower. If the volunteer companies need more funding, they have to VOLUNTEER many hours to raise the funds.
Hard to believe the city wants to take money away from the county volunteers...well I guess we can always have another dozen dinners and fund raisers and committ every hour of our waking lives to raise money for our fire companies.
David Bender
Treasurer
Mardela Springs VFC
Sounds to me that the city made the attempt to increase the funding, conceding when realizing their argument would not create a change- your precious "Barry" apparently didn't do any better at getting more money, and agreed to the 3 years originally
Maybe the salisbury fire department should only be allowed to run up to the city limits and leave everything else to the volunteers in the county.
Who did the negotiations for the county and who for the city?
Because... the City Fire Dept. wastes the money they already get on fire palaces on polluted ground and gazillion dollar ladders and fire boats and maintenance we don't need?
I don't know, but maybe.
All:
The County depts. are the bigger waste than Salisbury, which does most of the calls and so has more equipment. Pollitt won't divide the money fairly because it would cost him votes.
to 5:03 The county fire depts. are a bigger waste than Salisbury???? I dont think so. County fire companies actually get out there and bust their a**** to get what they want doing fundraiser's and so on. About 50% of their budget comes from fund raising, they don't have the luxory of getting funding from both city and county. Every piece of fire equipment the county fire companies owns is purchased through donation and raised money. So you tell me who the bigger waste is now. The fire fighters in salisbury need to learn how to fund raise like they did in the old days and quit having everything handed to them.
If the volunteers in Salisbury went to the other VFD's then Pollitt wouldn't have to give Salisbury a dime. Quit your bellyaching SFD you got far more than you deserve and don't know how to handle what you got. Damn right it would cost Pollitt votes if he gave more to SFD than the others that actually have to raise their own funds. Use that commercial kitchen you got and start holding some fundraisers. Rent that Palace out for weddings and other events. Do something for yourselves instead of always holding your hand out for more money.
4:11pm I know Stevie Prettyman was on the team for the county. I want to thank her for standing up for the Volunteer fire companys in the county and crafting a fair and equal agreement with Salisbury.
She always has our backs.
how about the departments in the city get off their ass and earn that money like the rest of the county departments, instead of expecting it to be handed to them. wow, i knew they were some jackasses over there, but this takes the cake, how about this, sell that peice of crap useless tower and you will have all the money you need.
As long as John Pick, Gordy and Hoppes are involved, the county will never work things out with the city and the FD.
Ireton, you should have gotten rid of them a year ago. Now you are giving Lore Chambers a $10,000 pay raise while other city employees are getting furloughed. WTF!!
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