Mon Feb 08 2010
by Jeff Saunders
and Eric Marotta
Reporter and Editor
Nordonia Hills -- Although Macedonia has been invited to attend a Nov. 17 presentation on creating a proposed fire and emergency medical service district with four of its neighbors, Mayor Don Kuchta said the city won't be attending.
Sagamore Hills Trustee Rose Mary Snell said she extended the invitation to Kuchta on Oct. 22, after Northfield Center and Sagamore Hills Trustees decided Oct. 20 to invite Northfield Village and Boston Heights, but not Macedonia, to meet and talk about the proposal.
Kuchta said he turned down Snell's offer because he felt the city was "snubbed."
He said the city had worked hard to bring the other four communities to the negotiating table the last two years to discuss increasing fire and EMS cooperation with the possibility of forming a district, and he was angry that the city had initially been left out of this new round of talks.
Northfield Center Trustee Richard Reville said the initial decision not to invite the city was "nothing against Macedonia."
"In the confusion of things, we weren't sure if they were interested," he said. "I don't think there's any savings for them by joining with us."
Snell said she decided to extend the invitation after the Oct. 20 work session.
"I just felt we should reach out and give them the courtesy of a call," she said.
The previous discussions, which included a $30,000 study funded by all the communities, had broken down this summer after the townships, followed by Boston Heights, had pulled out.
Kuchta said talks of forming a district now may be premature and rushed.
"[Study consultant John Preuer] recommended that we not get into a district at this time, that we move into this gradually," he said, adding that city voters just approved a new $300,000, 1-mill fire levy in August.
"Macedonia is going to be in great shape," said Kuchta. "We'll have five full-time firefighters on each shift and equipment that's up to date."
In addition, said Kuchta, the city has a solid mutual aid relationship with other neighboring communities, including Twinsburg and Northfield Village.
Northfield Village Mayor Victor Milani said he and Village Fire Chief Gary Vojtush plan to attend the Nov. 17 meeting for "fact finding" purposes, but added he doubted the village would join the potential district.
"I just find it peculiar that the people who pulled out of the original talks want to reinvent the talks," Milani said Oct. 22. "Macedonia has a very sound foundation. Macedonia should be the cornerstone of any fire district."
Northfield Center currently provides fire and EMS for Sagamore Hills. Sagamore pays about $500,000 per year, based on the roughly two-thirds percentage of Northfield Center emergency calls that originate in Sagamore.
The two communities are considering a plan to ask voters for a 1- or 2-mill fire levy to establish a fire district, but decided Oct. 20 to first see if the two neighboring villages would join.
Boston Heights Mayor Bill Goncy said he plans to attend the Nov. 17 meeting with an open mind, but doesn't feel the village is ready to make a commitment.
"My hope is we can form a district with all of Northern Summit County. If it starts on a smaller scale, so be it," Goncy said.
Milani said he isn't sure a fire district would be the right solution for the village.
"We don't need a district. We need an operational blending of services," Milani said. "We all keep our identity; we just share our equipment and personnel."
Milani added that the Preuer report found the village should play a key role in that consolidation due to the proximity of its fire house to nearby towns.
"The Preuer Report hit it right on the head. The village should covering part of Sagamore Hills; the village should be covering part of Macedonia," Milani said.
E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3169
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
The-News-Leader.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Record Publishing Co, LLC. 1995-2010. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications