by Jeff Saunders
Reporter
Nordonia Hills -- Five area communities began the year with hopes of greater fire and emergency medical service cooperation, but by year's end, an entirely different plan was being considered.
In January, Boston Heights, Macedonia, Northfield Center, Northfield Village and Sagamore Hills were continuing with talks aimed at increasing fire and emergency medical service cooperation.
But by December, the townships and villages were meeting in Sagamore Hills to talk about forming a district, potentially in 2009.
Macedonia Mayor Don Kuchta said that while he had no problem with the villages and townships working together, he did not feel the city needed to join at this time.
The five communities began meeting in 2006, when they commissioned a $29,250 study from consultant and former Mentor Fire Chief John D. Preuer. The year-long study, released in April 2007, included 79 recommendations for improving fire and EMS coverage and improving cooperation. The communities then began meeting to work on the recommendations.
Trouble, however, began developing in June when Northfield Center, Sagamore Hills and Boston Heights decided against applying for a grant that would pay 70-percent of a second study.
Then, in a July e-mail to township residents, Northfield Center Trustee Paul Buescher questioned Macedonia Fire Chief Tim Black's motives in urging the communities to take part in the grant.
Macedonia Mayor Don Kuchta took offense at the comment and asked Buescher's fellow Northfield Center Trustees to censure Buescher. They did not.
Since that time, elected officials from the five communities have only met once, in November to discuss further consolidation efforts.
In the meantime, Northfield Center and Sagamore Hills officials met in September to discuss the possibility of forming a district between them. They reasoned that such a move was logical, since under contract, the Northfield Center Fire Department had been covering Sagamore Hills for a half century anyway.
After meeting again in October, the townships invited officials from Boston Heights and Northfield Village. On Dec. 15, the four communities agreed to form a study group to look at the issue.
Meanwhile, Kuchta said the passage of a fire levy in August allowing the city's fire department to increase staffing next year from three and four to five firefighters on each of the three shifts has put the city in a better position than it was before, making joining a district less of an imperative right now.
Kuchta also said the city's good terms with neighboring communities, including Northfield Village, Twinsburg and Hudson, puts the city in a good position when it needs mutual aid.
E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3169