Fire District Discussion Tabled

Northern Door officials and fire chiefs decided to table discussion of forming a Northern Door Fire District until the fall at a meeting March 29.

Liberty Grove Town Chairman John Lowry said he’s happy that a conversation has begun among fire chiefs and municipal officials.

“The important thing is that everyone sat around the table and talked,” Lowry said. “It’s like with the room tax discussions a few years ago. Once you talk enough, people realize they can get along.”

Lowry said board members learned a lot about how much the fire department has evolved over the last 20 years and the extent of mutual aid agreements, and fire chiefs hopefully became more aware of some board and public concerns. Lowry said it’s clear that recruiting enough volunteer manpower is a major issue for the departments.

“The possibility of forming an auxiliary to handle paperwork, traffic control and such was brought up and is worth looking into,” Lowry said. Such a group would not need the training that firefighters require.