I am very pleased that a joint fire district agreement has been reached between the village of Windham and Windham Township officials that will take effect Jan. 1, 2010. The success of the new fire district and the fire department still will depend on the desire and intentions of our elected officials on both sides to follow through in making it successful.
The equipment and remaining funds, held by the township trustees and clerk, were apportioned by the Portage County auditor on Sept. 17. Four days after the apportionment, on Sept. 21, the agreement was reached. The auditor was required to complete the apportionment under state law due to the Village Council's withdrawal from the township fire district in December 2008.
During the apportionment each side chose the equipment it wanted by alternating picks. Of the $245,177 in total funds held by the trustees and clerk, $179,538 will be transferred to the village fiscal officer and the $65,639 balance will remain with the township trustees and clerk.
On Jan. 1, the village and township will transfer their equipment and funds to the new joint fire district board, as required in the agreement. The agreement can be read on the village of Windham's Web site (www.windhamvillage.com) Link Resolution #R-2009-31. The last page is the auditor's apportionment. The court documents can be found on the "joint fire district link" of the Web site.
The only issue preventing the final agreement on Sept. 21 was the size of the new joint fire district board. The financial incentives offered by the village had been resolved. The township trustees passed a resolution at their Sept. 17 meeting showing that they were adamant for a three-member board.The mayor and Village Council wanted a five-member board that would consist of three appointed residents (non-politicians) from the village and township and two elected politicians -- a trustee and a council member.
The agreement was reached after the township trustees finally agreed to the five-member joint fire district board and avoided an ugly split of fire and EMS service.
The financial incentive agreed to in the new agreement amounts to $700,000 for five years and is less financially than was offered to the township trustees approximately 22 months ago. This was about the time the village lawsuit began. It's unfortunate that a new agreement was not reached at that time.
Village Council and the township soon will begin the process of appointing each of their representatives to the five-member joint fire district board. The board will begin in January 2010. Happy New Year to the village of Windham and Windham Township.
C. James Moore
Windham
(Moore is a former mayor of Windham and a former Village Council member.)