The WayneWho archival staff reached back a couple months into the "hot issues" file and want to know...what happened to the discussion over the consolidation of fire/rescue departments?
Here at WayneWho HQ, we continue to believe that the idea was a non-starter. Perhaps "those who know" quickly found that out as well, and pushed it aside. Either that, or perhaps it's waiting in the wings, waiting for the good citizens of Kissimmee, St. Cloud, and Osceola County to be wrapped into their summer schedules before it sneaks its way back onto the local agendas.
In a time when companies can go over the books and decide in days, if not hours, whether it makes sense to buy another company, don't we think that, if this deal had any merit, we would have heard about it within weeks of Kissimmee's City Commission giving the City Manager authorization to have discussions with the county?
After all, local governments are desperate for ways to save money, right? So why hasn't anyone called for a progress update?
We now return you to your regularly-scheduled distraction issues
3 comments:
Holy Cow Wayne-Man! We can never sleep. $200 million for another building and a 350 car parking garage.
Too bad half the space in the tax office sits empty.
Here is what we know to this date:
1. The Assistant City Managers from each agency ( Kissimmee, St Cloud and Osceola ) have meet at least once to discuss the topic.
2. The Fire Chiefs I am told are meeting next week or so to discuss the topic.
We, the Kissimmee Professional Firefighters, have asked repeatedly to be informed of any such meetings so that we may attend. Not that we want to have a voice in the discussion, but would like to at least sit in and listen to the discussion.
We have been told that these meetings are not open to the public and therefore we will not be informed of any discussions. Needless to say when not kept informed rumors tend to run rampant as they currently are.
So here we are months later, and everyone is worried abouts their jobs, pensions, senority etc... and not a word on how or what is being discussed as far as consolidation is concerned.
How about this for a tax payer saving idea?
Why not one metro government? If duplication of services (the main "reason" for consolidating fire service) is such a big concern than why not just merge the three governments? After all do we need three City/County Halls, three City/County Managers, three City/County Attorneys, fifteen City/County Commissioners?The list goes on and on. Seems that a whole lot of tax payer money
would be saved.
So yes, we agree with you Wayne, please let the public know what the status of these discussions are so that ALL may make an informed decision !!
Jim Walls- President, KPFF
Speaking of the fire department...
The City reduced the number of firefighters by three. That means one less firefighter per shift.
They have even been periodically shutting down firetrucks again.
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