07-30-2002 Council Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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Officers and Chief that they aic willing to take less so the fire fighters are paid more. The information we provided to you last year indicated that we were planning these increases. We assume because we gave you ample time to consider the increases that you have budgeted for them and they are not a surprise to you. Also, we did not receive any objections last year when we presented the planned increases to you. You have indicated to me and the City Council that you think the level of service from the Fire Department is excellent and you have continuously praised these dedicated individuals for their fine service. We share this belief. It is hypocritical to say that the ser\'ice is excellent and to praise the dedication of these fine volunteers and then not expect to compensate them for their service. If we want good dedicated fire fighters we need to provide some limited but real benefits. Like all of the departments in the area we have experienced recruitment problems. We have to provide good equipment, good training, a good pension fund and adequate compensation if we expect to retain and recruit fire fighters. A lesser approach to emergency ser\'ices will only result in a diminished level of this vital scr\'ice. Fire Scr\'ice Contract I recently sent to you a new fire serv ice contract. We have experienced too many problems with the 1978 contract and felt that we could avoid these problems with this new contract. We would be glad to discuss this new very fair contract with you. However, we are not interested in a joint ownership of the Maple Plain Fire Department. We have given you inexpensive ser\'ice for decades; at a comparative cost less than you could receive from any other fire department and at a cost much less than you could provide the same level of service yourself. We have brought you into our planning and budgeting process and the Chief has been forthright about the future needs asking you about them and getting your verbal approval before major purchases occurred. You have asked us to keep our cost as low as w’e can and we have respected your budget situation and actually reduced the Fire Department Operating Budget this year and kept the entire budget very reasonable. We are willing to continue budget discussions with you before we have to certify the budget to the County. If there are any areas where we can reduce costs without reducing the level of service or absorbing the cost that should be shared, we would be glad to discuss them with you. I tfWkJ n -■llA lrt.1P.ArLH