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Kincardine to revisit withdrawal from Paisley Fire Board

By Liz Dadson

Kincardine council

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Prompted by a group of concerned citizens, Kincardine council will revisit its plan to withdraw from the Paisley Fire Board.

Councillor Mike Leggett brought the matter back to the council table in committee-of-the-whole Jan. 13. He said a meeting was held Nov. 25 last year, at the Underwood Community Centre, with about 25 people in attendance, including two Kincardine councillors, two Arran-Elderslie councillors, the Paisley fire chief, and three members of the Tiverton and District Ratepayers Association.

About 350 properties are directly affected and the owners were sent invitations to attend the meeting.

Kincardine fire chief Jamie MacKinnon outlined the history of the Paisley Fire Board, its accounting practices, highlights from the Ontario Fire Marshall's report, and the reasons for Kincardine's withdrawal from the Paisley board.

At the end of the  meeting, the ratepayers in attendance asked that Leggett bring a request back to council that the municipality remain a member of the Paisley Fire Board.

"I agreed to bring the request to council but my position on withdrawal from the board has not changed," said Leggett.

"I don't think we've heard the end of this," said councillor Randy Roppel.

Deputy mayor Laura Haight said she received a phone call from a resident, saying fire service to the northeast part of the municipality would be better done through the Tiverton Fire Department, instead of Paisley. "When we withdraw from the board, it means we'll be on a pay-for-service basis, rather than belonging to the partnership. What are the concerns of the taxpayers?"

"They've been left out of the loop," said Roppel. "They weren't part of the discussion about removing Kincardine from the agreement with the Paisley Fire Department. It will affect them directly. They're not happy. They like the service the way it is."

"There will be no removal of service," said Leggett. "Nothing will change, except we will no longer own 27.8 per cent of the Paisley Fire Department. There's been a lot of miscommunication about this - a lot of stories going around - but nobody really understands what's going on.

"We're getting rid of our shares in the Paisley Fire Department. We're not taking away any service."

Councillor Gordon Campbell agreed that Tiverton should be supplying fire service to part of that area because it can respond faster than Paisley.

"The number one recommendation from the Ontario Fire Marshall's Office was to get rid of boards and set up departments," said mayor Larry Kraemer.

"Those recommendations are not law," argued Roppel. "There are laws to follow and the fire department in Paisley has followed all the rules and regulations. I'm sure they (taxpayers) are going to come and make a presentation."
leggett

Councillor Mike Leggett

"I thought the decision (to withdraw from the Paisley Fire Board) was unanimous at budget talks last year," said Haight. "When Saugeen Shores withdrew from the agreement, our percentage went from 23 to 27.8, but Arran-Elderslie's did not go up by the same amount. The service is going to stay the same. Paisley will be covering the same area."

"I don't think anybody can guarantee Arran-Elderslie will sign the deal," said Roppel. "If there is no agreement, who covers this area then?"

"Paisley still has to supply fire service," said Haight.

"The service will continue and, in fact, increase through this agreement," said Leggett. "The Fire Prevention Act does not provide for departments, but it provides for fire service."

He said the Paisley Fire Department does a good job, "but we do not need to own shares of a fire department outside of our own municipality. The service is there and we are willing to pay for it."

Leggett said he has left a message with the chief administrative officer of Arran-Elderslie that Kincardine is prepared to sit down and discuss an agreement. 
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010