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getting smaller. He said he was willing to turn over complete, ambulance service, fire equipment and everything. There is not much fire protection left in the township. Mr. Hensley asked if the citizens were all aware of the tax increases and aware of what the plan consisted of. I hear mast of them don't really know what you are talking about. All they know is it will increase their property taxes. I think explaining privatizing ambulance service is important, I'rn not sure they understand what you want to do. I fell like more information needs to be out there. Eric Shields told hitn this was the second public hearing and he had personally not had one phone call. So, the information has been out there before February. About seventy people attended the first public hearing and a detailed report was given at the meeting. ' Both public hearings were advertised in the newspaper. Mr. Hensley said he did not think public notices in the paper get the jab done. Doug Allen, Mooresville Assistant Fire Chief, spoke in reference to what Mr. Hensley was saying because the public were not aware because this year's tax rate increase might be $63.00, next year's tax rate can be whatever the fire territory wants it to be and then the next year the same. Tam Worthen said the mechanism far setting the levy is a three- year draw out, budget itself is not established by the executive board by itself. The agreement has checks and balances where the executive board would approve a budget that would then. go to the township advisory board to be approved, if not approved by them the budget goes thru the executive board again and to the township advisory board again and then it comes to the Town Council. The levy itself is not set until after the third year. Joe Beikman, Street Supervisor, spoke to the council saying he had worked on fire departments and with fire department, LifeStar is a great ambulance service, Mooresville and Brown work together well. The concern he had was reading in the paper and talking to different council members, he didn't think we were all on the same page at this point. We need to make sure we are all on the same page, there are other avenues. Brown Township could contract with Mooresville for fire protection and keep the ambulance service. Once you go to a fire territory it is hard to go back. A yearly contract could be tried first and everybody's rate could be the same. Monies are available other than tax dollars that could be used if it is contracted for the fire services. By reading the paper everyone is not on the same page yet. Doug Allen spoke to the council again asking what the benefit of the territory was far him as a taxpayer. What was he going to gain for his tax money? Eric Shields said there were a variety of benefits. He said having a standardized provision of care originating from one department, better chance to secure and not losing the ambulance service and not starting from scratch. or searching for a cheaper version, to secure and protect and keep things the way they are. Doug Allen said, "you need to sell this to me." Is an ambulance service all`? We can start our own. 'There are other ways, you the council,, are supposed to be speaking far me, sell it to me. I want to know the benefit forme. Tom Worthen said he thought it had came down to we are being asked to pay for a service that has been provided to us far probably eleven or twelve years ago. We could start our own like in 1982 and build up our own, but we take a step backwards for twenty years. This way we are funding a department we are using currently. Is there anything to sell.? No. Doug Allen said this is another taxing entity not a merger. So, what is the benefit? Tarn Worthen said we don/t have the funds to start an ambulance service on our own. Doug Allen said, what about the other townships, are they being charged? Al Hornaday answered yes, they are. 1Vlooresville is 80% of our runs. Mooresville paid Brown Township $75,000 one time. Doug Allen said if you put the two fire departments together we would still be short on employees, equipment, and stations. Eric Shields-it is not always a matter of what I am getting but what I might lose. Kevin 5chulthies sent Tam Worthen and Eric a letter at the end of January stating he is representative for the firefighters union and he was expressing his belief a fire territory is the best options. The letter states firefighters concerns on both sides. One is the protection of their jobs and they have been given that in person and in public, that na one would lose their jab. The benefits are a concern. There is no reason for anyone to lase their sick time they have banked. The health insurance comes in a variety of packages; it is not available to go to aself-funded plan with this least azno nt of employees. I have information on this, but can't say until the plan goes ~~ JrtJher is is an old project. The topic came before I came to Mooresville. Tom and-l•~@'garr~ ut two and one-half years ago. Meetings with Al and Kevin and Tom and myself began last summer. This has not 7.