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Is a Fairfield Beach life worth less than Thurston one





Editor:

I am a new resident of Fairfield Beach. I cannot believe that taxpayers in Walnut Township will allow the Walnut Township Trustees to further reduce fire and EMS services for residents of Fairfield Beach. These “trustees” just voted to allocate over $413,000 next year to the Thurston Fire Department after buying a new medic for them as well, costing some $176,000.

Walnut Township Trustees will receive approximately $950,000 to $975,000 from taxpayers for Fire Service and Emergency Medical Services for 2009. Since there are three fire stations in Walnut Township, common sense would be to divide the taxpayers money into thirds. Allocate 33 1/3% to the Thurston Fire Station, 33 1/3% to the Fairfield Beach Fire Station and 33 1/3% to the Millersport Fire Station.

I learned that the Walnut Township Trustees reduced the allocation of taxpayers funds from 65% to 60% for the Millersport Station and Fairfield Beach Station last contract. With approximately 73% of the Walnut Township voters living in the area protected by the Fairfield Beach Station and the Millersport Station, why is so much of the Fire Service and Emergency Medical Service taxpayers money being allocated to the Thurston Station?

Approximately two years ago the Walnut Township Trustees bought a tanker fire truck for approximately $182,000. The Fairfield Beach area does not have fire hydrants. Thurston does have fire hydrants. Why did the Walnut Township Trustees give this new tanker fire truck to the Thurston Station instead of rightfully allocating this tanker fire truck to the Fairfield Beach Fire Station to protect citizens that do not have fire hydrants?

Rumors say that the Thurston Fire Department (half owned by Walnut Township) uses this tanker fire truck to sell water to people who want to fill their swimming pools. What would happen if a Fairfield Beach home, with no fire hydrants, was burning and the tanker fire truck was being used to fill a swimming pool somewhere at the other end of the township? Loss of property and life? What are the Walnut Township Trustees thinking?

Why are the lives of residents of Fairfield Beach and Millersport Village less valuable than the lives of residents of Thurston? Taxpayers can do the right thing and remove two of the current Walnut Township Trustees next election if they will no do the right thing and protect the taxpayers and residents of Fairfield Beach and Millersport.

Thomas Brown Fairfield Beach


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