COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Supervisor Beckwith called the Special Meeting of Columbia Township Board to order at 7:33 p.m. Present Beckwith, Speicher, Harrington. Landers and May were absence. Forty residents of Columbia Township were present. Landers arrived at 7:35 p.m. May is excused.

Beckwith welcomed the residents and a handout containing the following was provided:

The Columbia Township Board approved generating a special assessment district on August 26, 1999. The recommended millage rate of 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 mills for ambulance was tentatively set at the conclusion of the First Public Hearing. Tonight the board will present additional information and hear support of and objections to creating a special assessment district for fire and ambulance protection.

Each Township board member has been contacted by many residents and a majority are in favor of having a Columbia Township Fire Department. The main concerns are number of volunteers. The following data was generated from the first two months of operating the Columbia Township Fire Department.

Seven (7) minute average response time
Zero Safety Concerns
Reliable Services
Adequate Operating Equipment

15 Volunteers (By-laws restrict numbers to a maximum of 26)
Purchase additional fire truck to provide protection when current unit is out of service
Purchase land and build additional station in Southern part of Township
Purchase additional grass fire unit
Station one fire truck (pumper/tanker and grass unit at each station)

Budget Estimates:

Road funds are restricted and can not be used for anything but roads. Additional funding can be taken from the General Fund.

Volunteers:

13 individuals have applied to join Columbia Township Fire Department and currently.
2 approved, Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief (Fire Fighter Qualified)
2 approved to attend Fire Fighter Training.
3 approved but have not received final screening approval (Fire Fighter Qualified).
2 have failed screening criteria.
4 are being interviewed this week (two Fire Fighter Qualified and two for Training).

Still need more volunteers to meet our objectives of 15 fire fighters. If you know of some person upstanding within the community please take an application.

The board was asked how to obtain a public vote on creating a special assessment district. Speicher state he had information in his office which he could provide. Harrington thought a letter of intent had to filed within seven days of Township Boards decision.

The cost of volunteers were high and other surrounding fire departments do not pay their volunteers, so why is Columbia Township paying for volunteers. Beckwith stated we are having a hard time getting upstanding volunteers form our community. It is necessary for Columbia Township to provided a benefit for being a member of the fire department. Bloomingdale, Bangor, Pullman, South Haven are high residential areas where it is easier to obtain volunteers. Columbia is residential/resort /agriculture area without a city or large town to draw volunteers. We have to do things differently than the other surrounding areas.

Andy Potts: stated he does not feel we should have volunteers being paid $15.00 nor should we be paying a fire chief $20,000 per year. The volunteers should not be paid at all. Speicher stated that the wages were at the recommendations of the fire committee. Andy stated he would never think of being a volunteer fire fighter for Columbia Township. A volunteer does not receive a hourly wage for fighting fires.

It was asked why did Columbia Township leave the Bangor Community Fire Department and why did the Board take the direction which ended up with Columbia Township leaving the BBACG joint fire district.

Speicher answered with:

Can a fire department be divided into a smaller area, in other words could we split the Township between three existing fire departments. Board yes the township could be split into different special assessment districts.

Andy Potts stated that Bloomingdale covers part of Waverly and part of Cheshire. Beckwith asked what millage was being charged by Bloomingdale. Andy thought 2.0 mils. Speicher asked what is Bloomingdale’s annual budget for fire protection. Andy stated he thought around $170,000, but the township is still paying for the new fire station. Speicher asked if he thought Columbia Township was better off now than we were with BBACG. Andy stated yes you are better off now.

Joel Lemmer stated he was concern with the increase. He would like to see the costs reduced and to let the public vote on the issue. He believes a fire department is necessary, but the cost has to be controlled. Volunteers should be volunteers not paid employees.

Jane Driscoll stated she was in support of the fire department it was needed for the community.

Harold Johnson stated the Township Board could have had Coloma Ambulance at no cost but the board selected VBEMS instead. VBEMS is not staffed as promised and uses Covert Ambulance as a back up. the board should consider using Coloma. Beckwith stated a bid request for providing ambulance service for 2000 was sent to Coloma and other ambulance services in the area. Beckwith stated the BBACG fire board had the responsibility to pick a ambulance service and they picked VBEMS.

Rosemary Hurley commented on an article in the Reminder where a person needed fire protection and praised Columbia Township Fire Department for their quick response. She stated that most of the individuals at the Township Hall tonight have not been following the activities going on with BBACG, you just don’t know what has been going on. She defended the board actions and stated the board has been working very hard on resolving fire and ambulance issues.

Alyce Johnson stated she knows exactly what is going on.

Beckwith asked for written comments.

John Dutton, no address written, Your mistake was made at the beginning. Now, to have a quality department you will now need a higher than average millage. Good Luck - you’ll need it. No recommendation for millage rates.

Doris Nielsen 14346 47th Street, I don’t like it every fireman should be volunteer, no money. No recommendation for millage rates.

Robert Pevitts 20196 47th Street, Why don’t the board put this up to the vote of the people of Columbia Township not a hand full of people that attend this meeting. No recommendation for millage rates.

C.J. Wloch 46748 CR 380, I live on fixed income - it is to hard for me to pay additional taxes - I live only 4 miles from Bloomingdale. No recommendation for millage rates, they were lined out.

Rick Mc Cartney 48454 CR 388, I feel the firefighters and Chief’s salary are to high $15.00 / hour should be $7.00 / hour. $20,000 / year should be $10,000 / year. I do agree we need to set-up a good fire and ambulance program for our future. No recommendation for millage rates.

Jack Conway 52199 CR 384, I thought that you were voted into office to fulfill the peoples requests. Why do you not put this to a vote? No recommendation for millage rates.

Jim Baylor 13521 4650th Street, Keep the cost down - why should the Chief get so much salary and hourly when other districts operate so much cheaper and are very efficient. This goes for the fire fighters as well. Its the amount of money... the bottom line. We, the public, need to have an opportunity to vote. Please! No recommendation for millage rates.

Jim Sykora 51968 CR 384, I believe the Board would still be wise to put it to a vote. I can not comment on the millage fairly - because I am not up on the cost of operation. No recommendation for millage rates.

Terry Gackowski 19491 47th Street, I can’t believe for a minute that the Township Board had the privilege to levy a special assessment or form a fire district without the vote of the residents. I feel this would have been easier to swallow if it were put to a vote.

Audrey Baldwin 04380 48-1/2 Street, You r getting enough now we pay dearly to live in Columbia Township. Fire 1/2 mil and Ambulance 1/2 mil.

Mark Szcepkowski 13056 CR 215, I think the board has ramrod their proposal through as a result of mistakes they made in the first place. At the very least this should have been voted on by the public. 1.9 mils for Fire and 0 for Ambulance.

Art Szcepkowski 08643 Hill Drive, Should not have passed by the Board. Instead place on a referendum for all people to vote on. 1.9 mils for Fire and 0 for Ambulance.

Louis Piat 09161 53rd Street, 1.9 mils for Fire and 0 for Ambulance.

M. Trozzy 16698 52-1/2 Street, If the Tax was not so high it would not be so bad so would you please try to make it lower. 1.9 mils for Fire and 0 for Ambulance.

Robert Trozzy 16698 52-1/2 Street, I think we should vote on all special assessment. 1.9 mils for Fire and 0 for Ambulance

Nate Baylor 13521 4650 Street, Have Columbia Township join Bloomingdale, using its trucks and volunteers to recruit and train others until such time that department can stand our own two feet and afford our own department. Lets work into this no jump. 2.0 mils for Fire and ? for Ambulance.

Daniel Baldwin 04380 48-1/2 Street, 1 mils for Fire and 1 for Ambulance.

William Thorns, 08853 Silver Lake Rd., I disagree with a special assessment district to have carte blanche to triple the tax levy for fire protection. I don’t agree with the fact the board has cart blanche to increase levy each year without a referendum. 2.0 mils for Fire and 0.2 for Ambulance.

Mary E. Morgan P.O. Box 45 Breedsville, Fix income keep tax low. 1.9 mils for Fire and 0 for Ambulance.

Joe Monowa, Opposed to Special Assessment District. 1.9 mils for Fire and 0 for Ambulance.

David A. Hudson 05223 52 1/2 Street, opposed to Special Assessment. Place on Referendum. 1.9 mils for Fire and 0 for Ambulance

Andy Potts 13527 46-1/2 Street, I have no problem with forming a department. My concern is in the cost of pay scale for members. We do not need a full time chief. 2.6 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

Joel Lemmer 19477 47th Street (521-4346), I think that the Township board needs to re-think the special assessment district. I believe we need fire protection but not quite as elaborate as planned - move a bit slower - need to address issue of wages vs volunteers. All neighboring areas seem to be much better at controlling cost than the proposal put out today. Need to consider 1 hall not 2 - less cost. Need to really look at budget, way to high! I truly believe if you slow down your process - lower your cost you could have a vote and pass this issue by public opinion. 50% increase at this time (2.8 mils) and undecided with ambulance.

Pam Graham 13475 46-1/2 Street, I believe the fire chief salary and the rate of $15.00 for fire calls is much higher than other departments in our area and should be reduced to be in line with other communities. Millage should be reduced to reflect a more realistic budget.

Rosemary Hurley 51838 CR 384, You have our support, Go for it. 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

Gene R. Farley 07720 51-1/2 Street, Do it as planned to date - 9/14/99. 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

Lynne M. Farley 07720 51-1/2 Street, We need the fire protection and we need to support the fire department. We hope that prudent use will be made of our tax dollars. 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

Lisa Faircloth 07780 51-1/2 Street, I think the benefits of having a fire department closer will out way the cost. 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

Jane Driscoll P.O. 114 Breedsville, I am in favor of the millage proposal. 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

Marie Speicher 08985 51-1/2 Street, having our own community fire department back is the best thing for our Township. Money should not be considered in the business of saving lives. My family and neighbors are definitely worth 3.9 mils. 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

A. J. Johnson 08037 Silver Lake Rd, 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

Ron Bodtke 51390 CR 384, We need the district - Salaries sound to high. The Board needs to make the decision on how much millage is needed.

Ken Goodwin 06070 51-1/2 Street, We need to do what is needed. 3.9 mils for Fire and 0.4 for Ambulance.

Speicher collected the written comments. Speicher stated the written comments would be recorded in the minutes. Each Board member would be given a copy of both Public Hearing meeting minutes and a decision would be made at the September regular board meeting.

Adjournment: Beckwith adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m.