Melling Finance Regional fire study won’t move forward Sep 15th, 2013 by Darren Hillock. fire-hose-mf-kconnors-webWhen he first suggested it, Bristol village administrator Randy Kerkman thought a study of efficiencies among Kenosha County fire departments would be a useful long-range planning tool. There was some initial enthusiasm for the idea. A consultant did a presentation to representatives of six municipalities — Bristol, Paris, Salem, Silver Lake, Somers and Randall – in March. The cost at that time was proposed at $1 per resident, to be paid by the respective towns and villages. But the actual moving forward with the study — and writing that check in a time of tight municipal budgets — proved to be a stumbling block for some to participate. Randall never got on board with participating. Somers was in, then out. Wheatland, which wasn’t at the consultant meeting but could have participated in the study, formally said no thanks in April. Silver Lake trustees kicked around participating in the study in April and May. Ultimately, they decided — despite that municipality’s upheaval in recent years regarding fire and EMS service — to not participate, mostly because of the money. That left Salem, Paris and Bristol. But with fewer municipalities participating, Kerkman said the cost of the study increased to $1.35 per resident. That made the study too expensive for Salem, the largest participant in the study. After that, the project died. Paris town Supervisor Ron Kammerzelt lamented the death of the study at the August Paris Town Board meeting. “I think it was a good idea,” Kammerzelt said. “I think it would have been good to have another set of unbiased eyes look at the departments.” Kerkman, talking earlier this week, was philosophical about the demise of the study. Dealing with a tight municipal budget himself, Kerkman said he understands the difficulty of balancing being fiscally conservative with planning for the future. “To me, I like looking way out and planning it,” Kerkman said. And while now is not the time, Kerkman said he could see support of a study reviving in the future. “Somewhere down the road, it will probably happen,” Kerkman said. shareshareshareshare Posted in: Bristol, Paris, Randall, Salem, Silver Lake, Uncategorized, Wheatland. ← Old Settlers Oktoberfest 2013 coverageFill the Brat fundraiser to benefit Bristol firefighters group → 2 Comments Waste September 15, 2013 at 8:15 pm Maybe Mr. Kerkman should have used the last regional fire study done several years ago, or maybe he could have passed it on to the Bristol Attorneys to look at. We spend thousands upon thousands for the attorney already. We don’t have money for other important things but yet we can always waste it on a study. Why not study how much of a waste Administration is and if they took a pay cut or are paying more in health insurance and other perks? Bernard Punsley September 17, 2013 at 5:29 am Waste……I fail to see how dusting off an old study done MORE THAN SEVERAL YEARS AGO, having the Bristol attorney “study that study”, cutting the Administrator’s pay or increasing his health insurance payments and limiting “perks” is going to to ANYTHING to improve fire and rescue services in those municipalities that were going to participate. Enlighten me? Fire and EMS entities across this county(indeed, across the country) are having difficulties recruiting and retaining employees. Given the loss of state revenues and mandated tax caps, municipalities are struggling to provide services. Looking at ways to improve services, through a collaborative effort can be a productive undertaking. Cutting pay and health insurance benefits….shows your tea party ignorance…….most of those firefighters and EMS folks are either volunteer or paid on call. They receive little pay and virtually NO HEALTH INSURANCE. So pick on somebody else or get your facts a little bit straighter! Rebel Your comment is awaiting moderation. September 17, 2013 at 9:39 am BERNIE MY FACTS ARE STRAIGHT I use to work for Paris F & R. I know the facts and here they are: If you want to talk about waste then maybe we should look into what we here in Paris are “wasting” on daystaff hourly wages for two people to sit in the station during 7-5 =11.50 per hour to wash floors, clean kitchen do about a total of 3 hours of work and then sit at the computer to play games or watch TV and take naps. I do understand that we need coverage during the day, but why not just do a schedule for people to sign up and cover the daystaff and pay them if we get a call. the call ratio doesn’t warrant staffing 5 days a week 10 hour days. If we are to continue to do this then maybe we should cut pay there unless they get a call then up the rate according to every other townships rate of volunteer pay. I also know that when there is a call, the people who don’t make the squad or the fire truck still get paid the SAME as if they were on the trucks for sitting back at the station smoking, playing on the computer or just B.S. outside the station and talking about other people. Why are we wasting our money, tax dollars and mostly on people who don’t even live in the township. 99% of our staff comes from Kenosha, Bristol, Salem, Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Racine and other towns. Another words if we did have a big fire we would be calling Somers, Bristol and anyone else that has manpower readily available. The big kicker here is that THEY want another raise. Most townships pay their volunteers POC ( paid on call) When the tones go off, they respond. If they don’t make the squad they don’t get paid unless another squad is called out. Why do we pay? Is our economy any better than anyone elses? 11.50 per hour for daystaff and then 12.50 an hour with a minimum of 2 hours if we get toned out and respond POC. They want a raise? the officers get paid a monthly salary on top of the POC money and most of them don’t do much to earn that salary money, but they too want a raise. The towns people have no vote in any of the raises? We are suppose to have a say in ALL RAISES that are effecting OUR taxes. Why do I want to pay someone from Kenosha or Milwaukee with MY tax money when they can’t make the truck until after it leaves? Our response times to some scenes stink and that was what got me in trouble after being told to leave ASAP. Too many chiefs and not enough indians. By the time some people show up for a call 5-10 minutes could go by. When we get back from the hospital you see about half dozen people sitting doing NOTHING at 12.50 an hour. Some might come and help clean and others leave. some sign in and leave and gt paid unless they get caught. They get aslap on the hand and told not to do it again, but they do anyway. The town board and clerks are suppose to get raises when WE the townspeople decide but they just give themselves a raise without our input. We vote them in, we have the say where our money goes. NOT in this town though. YOu want a survey? I want an investigation, how’s that sound. They still owe me money for uniforms that they had me order and I put on my credit card ( I trusted them to give me the money) stupid me. I will never see it. We do need a new ambulance and that I whole hardly agree with but we should sell that stupid grass rig that is way to big for our needs. It gets stuck in the mud which it suppose to hold the water and use it for “grass fires” it sinks in its own mud and we need to have it pulled out. Its just a huge expense that serves little purpose. Our ambulances have broken down on several occasions, but we have been lucky until now. That stupid survey was suppose to get a “used” squad. We have garbage now why get someone elses garbage. quit spending on stupid things like raises where they aren’t needed, paint jobs where they weren’t needed, surveys where they weren’t needed and put the money to good use. We here in Paris put that money into OUR town NOT into Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, but HERE in Paris. This is why I’m on the outside looking in because I SPEAK up and I refuse to kiss butt or walk on eggshells. Others won’t speak up so I’m the bad guy. So be it. Now Bernie you want to talk, lets talk. I was there for a number of years and I know plenty. - See more at: westofthei/2013/09/15/regional-fire-study-wont-move-forward/44117/comment-page-1#comment-80237
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 14:42:09 +0000
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