Can we stop trying to get rid of the fire department?

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            We in Landaff received letters from two selectmen regarding the upcoming election and meeting in our town.  One selectmen is asking for our vote to reelect him.  The other letter was written by Mike Ransmeier “as a private citizen” expressing some ideas he has if all his fantasies come true and the fire department goes away.

             I was amused by the format of Errol's letter that mirrored the letter we had received from Harry McGovern the week before.  I am glad he recognized a winning formula for setting out his talking points.  He referenced having worked with the fire fighters who started the department.  For those who haven’t been in town 30 years, the reference was to Ernest O’Dell, Herman Titus, and Norman Heath, whose hard work and community spirit started the fire department. 

            For sure Errol has done much for this town.  I was on the school board with him for a while.  He did a good job in that role. However, to say that he doesn’t have an agenda and treats all citizens with respect in his duty of selectman is laughable.  In January, I went to a select board meeting to ask some questions regarding misinformation about the fire department that had been stated at the previous meeting.  Errol immediately raised his voice about it and went on a rant about how the fire association took money intended for the town regarding a training burn and subsequent donation.

            In the following Select Board meeting, the people who donated to the fire association reiterated that they intended to give money to the association and not the town.  The damage had already been done, however.  It is clear that his agenda is to be as uncivil and uncooperative with the fire department as possible.  Both Mike Ransmeier and Errol Peters have repeatedly impugned the honesty of the fire department members and the fire association for past 15 years.

            The department members receive absolutely no compensation for what they do.  They donate hours upon hours in training, meeting, and serving our community because they love our town.  They have been the driving force behind Old Home Day for many years.  My husband Don personally devotes hours upon hours organizing it.  Now one of our selectmen has the idea that all that money raised and donated could be given to Lisbon upon liquidating the department.  The money would run out in three years or less and voila, no department and we would be permanently beholden to the town of Lisbon.  To do that would be both shortsighted and wrong.

            Mike Ransmeier also mentions in his letter that the department will need a tanker soon.  That is pure fiction.  Nobody has asked for a tanker.  There is not a need for one in the near future.  The tanker is sufficient for Landaff.  The figures thrown around are made up numbers as well.

            There continues to be rumblings about building a new fire station.  This is another made up scenario.  A station could not be built without a vote of the townspeople.  There is no plan, there are no numbers, and there is no request for a station.  Landaff Fire Department wants to be here with or without a new station. They will not be going rogue and building a station and demand you pay for it. Stop spreading that rumor.

            To abolish the fire department, you would permanently be losing their response in town.  Most Landaff fire fighters would not join the Lisbon department.  They serve Landaff because they love our town.

            The Twin State Fire Association recently changed its bylaws to charge fees to towns that do not have fire departments when they are called upon for an incident.  This means that any fire call would have an additional charge assessed.  The department is called for smoke and CO detector calls, downed trees, car accidents, flooding, odd smells, smoke investigations, illegal burns, and all kinds of fires.  With this change in place, Landaff could generate revenue with any calls to Lyman or Benton. Without a department, we would be charged for every single call in town (even accidents on 302) and neighboring towns would lose our response and help.

            These are the facts.  I have included no fiction or fantasy scenarios.  I hope the people of Landaff will do the right thing. I will be voting for Harry McGovern for select board.  I will vote to keep the fire department.  Please do the same.