TRAVERSE CITY — Talks between Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department and Traverse City about future collaboration will follow a slow and cautious path.
The three-township authority that oversees Metro set up a committee of township supervisors to meet city officials about the two organizations working together, including the potential for the city joining the Metro authority, Metro Chief Pat Parker said. The township committee will also do an internal assessment of how it's positioned for growth overall.
"We want to make sure whatever we do is best for our citizens," Parker said. "A lot of it comes down to financial and a lot of it comes down to operational. Do we have the room to absorb 30 percent to 40 percent more business?"
Wayne Kladder, Acme Township supervisor and part of the committee, said there is a lot of work to be done that involves more than just looking at the bottom line.
"People in the city need to understand the differences in how we approach fires," Kladder said.
Metro relies on a large force of part-time paid firefighters and 17 full-time staffers trained in basic life support to respond to emergency calls and man their fire stations around the clock in Acme, Garfield, and East Bay townships. The city relies on a smaller force of all full-time firefighters who are also paramedics trained in advanced life support. Metro relies on North Flight EMS for advanced life support service.
"We believe it provides outstanding service, just as the city does, but they are different models," Kladder said. "The whole concept, people have to feel comfortable, and that concerns me a little bit."
Mayor Michael Estes agrees there's much to be done but hopes to have an answer before the end of the year. Estes said the sole reason he's looking at potential alignment with Metro is because of the city's budget woes. The city has a $500,000 budget shortfall this year which could grow if revenue continues to decline, Estes said.
"My goal is to solve this process as soon as possible," he said. "We need to know, is this going to be a solution to our budget dilemma, and if not, we have to approach other avenues."
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Related Photos
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Wayne Kladder Record-Eagle file photo/Jan-Michael Stump
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Michael Estes Record-Eagle file photo/Jan-Michael Stump
Metro, city to proceed slowly
Fire entities to be cautious about collaboration
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