Connecticut Local Politics

According to today’s Norwich BULLETIN, the Public Safety Committee of the City Council have written a letter to the Five Town Fire Departments requesting information and bringing up the possibility of merging some functions.

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/homepage/x1088104387

This is local politics at its best and it strikes a nerve throughout all communities.  The Council controls the purse strings and is answerable to the voters for spending tax dollars.  The Volunteer Fire Departments are in the business of putting out fires and protecting property for all.  There is also a strong social and cultural nature to the local Volunteer Fire Department.  In its letter, the committee hints strongly that there should be one Fire Department for Norwich, maintaining the five volunteer stations.  Comments following the article are predictable.  Some strongly defending the status quo, some pointing out that the system is really broken despite the claims of the status quo defenders, and others saying that it is too expensive to continue to cater to the wims of each department and a more regional approach should be introduced.  Since this debate effects most cities and towns in CT, I thought it might be a good topic of discussion during this budget season.  If you read my posting on the Waterford blog regarding the Waterford Board of Finance’s budget tussle with the Waterford Volunteer Fire Departments last Monday, you can see that the problems are similar.  What do you think?