Friday, March 29, 2013
If the district is dissolved and reestablished as a town department, the town will probably lose that funding source.
This is one in a series of articles on what legislation before the General Assembly to abolish the fire district will mean for residents of East Greenwich. One result of the possible dissolution of the East Greenwich Fire District could be the end of a 10-year-old funding source that has brought in $1.3 million into the district. In 2002, the district passed an ordinance allowing for the imposition of commercial impact fees on developers building projects in East Greenwich. The Town of East Greenwich does not impose commercial impact fees and according to Town Council President Michael Isaacs, there's no plan to change that policy in the event legislation before the General Assembly passes to abolish the separate fire district in favor of…
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
EG Fire District Commissioners vote 4-1 to end talks with Warwick on consolidating dispatch duties.
East Greenwich Fire Commissioners voted 4-1 last Thursday to end talks with Warwick over consolidating dispatch services. Commission President Bill Daly cast the lone "nay" vote. The decision follows three years of effort, numerous meetings, and $162,000 spent on equipment for both towns. Fire Commissioners nearly pulled the plug on discussions at their last meeting but then told Henrikson to meet with Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian one last time. At Thursday's meeting, Henrikson said he met with Avedesian two weeks earlier and the mayor said he would check with his fire chief and get back to him. "I haven't heard from him," said Henrikson. Daly said he thought they could wait another week for a response from Avedesian, at which point …
Friday, January 11, 2013
After three years and recent inaction from Warwick on the proposal, EGFD decides it's probably time to cut losses.
This story was updated at 1 p.m., Jan. 11. The East Greenwich Fire District is close to throwing in the towel on a plan to consolidate dispatch services with Warwick following three years of effort, numerous meetings, and $200,000 spent on equipment for both towns. The idea to consolidate dispatch with Warwick came from former Fire District Commissioner Christine Mattos. According to Fire Chief Peter Henrikson, it made sense because East Greenwich already covers the Potowomut section of Warwick as first responder. Warwick fire officials signed on to the plan, but no contract was ever signed. Henrikson said that was because they wanted to make sure the arrangement could be worked out. "The draft agreement was prepared. The contract wasn’t …
James R
10:55 am on Saturday, April 6, 2013
Sue, this is not a direct democracy--so no. This fee should be abolished. It is difficult enough to attract new businesses to EG and retain current ones in an environment that is hostile to commerce--why add to this by imposing a tax simply to START doing business here. Enough is enough--new equipment can be purchased through recurring taxes. This is another example of why the districts must be … more ›