Stop arguing and solve the Fire/EMS problem

To the editor:

I attended the public meeting related to the Fire and Rescue controversy between the City of Hillsboro and the townships. The following conclusions became evident:

The City of Hillsboro has a "top-of-the-line" Fire and Paramedic Rescue facility and equipment and well-trained, professional personnel staffing. This Fire Department was built, equipped and staffed by the elected governing Council of the City of Hillsboro without any assistance or consultation from the Trustees of the various Townships of Highland County.

The City of Hillsboro's governing body also obligated itself to a huge debt structure to pay for and to maintain the Fire Department; again – the Townships were not involved in these decisions or obligations.

The City of Hillsboro cannot currently service this debt load or maintain the equipment and staffing of the Fire Department because its tax income is severely inadequate.

Residents of the city, who are retired and earn no taxable income in the city, pay no taxes to the city, but they do receive all services provided by the city, including Fire and Rescue.

Voting residents of the city participate in electing the trustees of Liberty Township. Do they also influence levies enacted by the citizens of Liberty Township? Voting residents of Liberty Township cannot participate in the City of Hillsboro elections. Interesting!

Residents of the various townships who work and earn income within the city limits are taxed by the city on that income but have no voice on how those tax dollars are spent. All of the residents of the townships contracting with the Hillsboro Fire Department for Fire and Rescue coverage pay a levy (tax) to pay an agreed contracted price for this service.

Because of the apparent deficiency of income and the debt structure of the city's fire department, the city needs the townships' contractual income to meet its financial obligations. In other words, the city's needs are greater than those of the townships.

It is, and will be, less expensive to all concerned – both city and townships – to consider the real cost of Fire and Rescue service to all involved. Breaking up into small entities and destroying a very good department already in place with professional personnel ready and able to meet the needs of the greater community is counterproductive.

We cannot change the past – we cannot predict the future – we can act responsively now. Venus does talk to Mars. No one has to win the argument, we just need to solve the problem.

Sincerely,
Martha Palmer
Washington Township