Mayor anticipates progress, council wants more information

Following more than two hours of executive session, members of the Hillsboro City Council say that more information is needed before they can make a decision regarding the future of Hillsboro Fire and Rescue, while the city administration say they anticipate "forward progress" by the July council meeting. 

Council and administration members would not elaborate on what type of information or what areas are in question regarding a proposal from Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings for the city to contract with the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District for emergency services. 

A special session of council was held Wednesday evening in the Hillsboro Municipal Courtroom at the Highland County Justice Center. The only item on the agenda was an executive session to discuss contract negotiations and safety and security issues. In addition to members of council, Hastings, Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis, Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Rick Giroux, deputy law director Laura Curliss, Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District board of trustees member Bill Redenbaugh and district Chief Bradley George were invited into the meeting. Council went into executive session at approximately 6:05 p.m. and returned into regular session at approximately 8:15 p.m.

Council member Bill Alexander was not in attendance, and council voted to excuse the absence, due to Alexander being out of town. 

Several Hillsboro firefighters were in attendance for the meeting, along with former Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink. 

Council had previously scheduled the first reading of an ordinance, "abolishing the fire department, laying off fire department employees and authorizing the mayor to contract for services with Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District."

However, according to council president Lee Koogler, earlier this week the administration withdrew the ordinance, so that legal counsel could give it further review and possible amending. 

Following the meeting, Hastings told The Highland County Press that he has receive positive feedback from members of the community regarding the proposal. 

"I think we're being cautious and reviewing areas of concern," Hastings said. "I anticipate forward progress. I have received a lot of positive feedback from the citizens of Hillsboro, from your everyday senior citizen to prominent business owners. They have been positive about the direction we are going in to resolve the fire and EMS problems in Hillsboro." 

Hastings would not be more specific regarding the areas of the proposed contract that were under review or what type of amendments were being made. 

Last week, Hastings presented a proposal to members of Hillsboro City Council for the city to "dissolve" Hillsboro Fire and Rescue and contract for EMS and fire services with the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District. If the city enters into a three-year contract with the district, Hastings said that the proposed agreement would save the city an estimated $1,540,000 "compared to continuing operation of the fire department with an estimated $899,648 deficit and a capital costs/benefits/administration (CBA) deficit of $450,000," for a total deficit of $1,348,648.

"It goes back to what I campaigned on, which is fiscal responsibility," Hastings said.

Earlier this week, Koogler said, "Issues will become critical for the city in the fourth financial quarter of the year, therefore decisions need to be made in advance of that quarter. The reason I say it would be critical, the loss of Paint and Hamer Townships [which contracted with other area fire districts for emergency services earlier this year] have left, essentially, a hole in the city's budget at this point from what was passed at the beginning of the year. Unless changes are made, we will have some issues that will have to be addressed at this time, if not sooner."

Council members Dave Shoemaker and Pete Pence said there is a lot of information that is needed before they can make a decision but would not say what type of information they were looking for. 

"I don't think anyone can make a decision on a first introduction," Shoemaker said. 

Pence said, "We're gathering information and listening to people and comments, and that's really all you can do. But more information is still needed, and there are still a lot of questions to be answered. You can never have too much information." 

Both council members said that they have been pleased with the feedback and interaction from their constituents. 

Shoemaker said that of all the issues that have been before council, this may be the topic that has spurred the most reaction and feedback from Hillsboro residents. 

"I have always welcomed feedback from the citizens," Shoemaker said. "I don't know how many have called, but it's been every night."