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Show 32 Y(gs For Mew Fdc Onsfiofet By GARY BLODGETT CENTERVILLE - After more than an hour of heated debate, Centerville City Council, by a 3-2 split vote, decided to remain a part of the proposed tri-city fire district in south Davis County. EVEN WITH the split vote of apporval, the decision deci-sion was not firm. There are a few stipulations in the proposed inter-local agreement that council members mem-bers don't approve. Councilman Bob Arbuckle, emphatically stated that he's not in favor of the proposed fire district - because of the strict controls it would hold over Centerville, citing several stipulatons in the agreement agree-ment which he opposed. "I'M CERTAINLY not in favor of a majority vote of the district's board of directors concerning bonding," bond-ing," he said. "It must be a unanimous vote of the board. I don't want Centerville getting stuck with a bond debt that it opposes.1' He also opposed the four-member board of directors, direc-tors, one representative from each of the three cities and the unincorporated area, because Centerville is the largest entity and because with four members there would be far too many tie votes. He noted that Centerville comprises 34 percent of the total area in the district but controls only one-fourth of the vote. "MY MAIN concern for opposing the district is because of the controls it would take away from Centerville, not because they (South Davis Fire Dept.) haven't done a good job in the past," said Councilman Arbuckle. "I'm simply opposed to a small (four-member) board dictating its activities to Centerville. "We are now the largest of the four entities, but we wouldn't have any more say on matters than any other city and this isn't right. And once we get into the district, we'd be hooked for a long time." THE PROPOSED agreement establishes the district dis-trict for 50 years and stipulates that any entity pulling out of the district could be "fined" for doing so by the other entities. Councilman Norman Wright agreed with Councilman Council-man Arbuckle on some points and admitted that it was "a rotten position for the council to be put in because the council had to act immediately to remain in the district or it (Centerville) would be dropped from the agreement." COUNCILMAN Wright later voted a "reserved yes" along with Councilmen Dennis Knoles and Dale Ford. Councilmen Arbuckle and Holman voted "no" and favored Centerville starting its own fire department. It was suggested that Centerville start its own department de-partment with the lease-purchase of a 1 ,500 gallons-per-minute pumper truck and a 4-wheel drive unit for fighting brush fires. A small auxiliary tanker to supply supp-ly the mini-truck also was suggested. ASKED ABOUT the efficiency of one large pumper pum-per truck being sufficient to fight a residence or commercial structure fire, it was explained that a reciprocal agreement probably could be worked out with Bountiful for these types of fires. Paul Richards, resident of Centerville and a volunteer volun-teer fireman for the county, presented the council, with a lot of information concerning costs and manpower man-power of owning your own department. "YOU MIGHT be able to lease a pumper truck for $115,000 but that truck is not going to be equipped and it will cost at least $10,000 more to equip it," he said. He then noted that it will cost $400 per fire fighter just for a "beeper" system of dispatching volunteers to the fire. And although termed volunteers, these firement give of their time from home and work and expect to receive some compensation. "This would amount to at least $15,000 a year," he said. HE ALSO expressed concern that Davis County would continue to offer ambulance service if Centerville Center-ville "split from the district" and noted that paramedics para-medics do not haul patients. Liability was also discussed. What, if any, liability would the city face if there was a major structure fire and the city could not adequately battle the blare? MR. RICHARDS told the council that only three qualified firemen who live in Centerville have expressed ex-pressed a desire to serve on the city-owned dept. "That leaves myself and two other firemen from the County Dept. who are qualified and willing to serve," Mr. Richards said. "Otherwise, Centerville would have to train an entirely new crew." THE COUNCIL and Mr. Richards agreed that the response time from the main County Station at 400 North 500 West, Bountiful, is as quick, because men are assigned to the station 18 hours every day, as it would be for Centerville volunteers to leave their homes or business and respond to the station. "I'M IN favor of Centerville owning its own station, sta-tion, but it takes time, money, and planning. It's not something that the city is ready to undertake at this ti me, maybe not for five or ten years down the road," he said. Most council members and the mayor expressed concern that they were being put in a position of not being able to make a decision. "THEY (OTHER city mayors and county commissioners) commis-sioners) know that we are not in a position to go it alone with a fire department and they are sticking it to us with some of these amendments to the agreement," agree-ment," alleged Councilman Knoles. "I don't like it, but what choice do we have." 1 |