liberty1st

Next Step for LFP Fire Station - 8/7/08

Three Rivers Area • May 7, 2010 3:12 PM

vblainev, I dont know if you know the complete history of TRFD. In the mid 90's the townships were tired of paying a subsidy and decided to try a private ambulance service. That service FAILED horribly!!! They made promises they couldnt keep and the increased response times and lack of proffesionalism drove them out of the area. It then took a vote (which I remember all to well) to keep the service at TRFD. That vote was put in the charter at a 2 to 1 success. The TRFD could charge the tax payers a total of 2mil. However the only City Budget that has constantly decreased is the Fire budget. I know the mil has dropped to under 1 and thats due to the paramedics picking up workload. My point is that LFP problems should not be brought to the City. Think outside the box but be carefull in what were doing. This service is second to no one and I think we can all agree on that. Pick up a budget and read it. The guys and gals have a constant revenue that drops the cost WAY WAY below average. Not to mention the cost for service is over 20% less if you do need them.

Next Step for LFP Fire Station - 8/7/08

Three Rivers Area • May 5, 2010 10:51 AM

silentTRobserver, Youre telling me that you feel better having a solely volunteer run department. Do you know what TRFD budget is in comparison to the volunteer run departments in the area. Vblainev your post is missing something. I bet both of you would be surprised to actually see the cost of TRFD vs the rest of the city budget. Furthermore look at the % and compare that to other cities. The Ambulance and Fire Department are not the reason the budget is high. There actually why its lower then it could be. Furthermore TRFD isnt shopping for a new home and spending every tax dollar it can. You guys should really look into the dept before you cost us more money in the long run. A volunteer service + a private ambulance service fee would cost us more in the long run. Initially we might save 50,000 to 100,000 grand but we then open the door to increases forever. Cant go back after we lose it.

Rowdy's beef with this forum

Three Rivers Area • Nov 20, 2009 9:20 PM

I happen to see both sides on this topic! The first side is unhappy citizens looking to have a voice and method to complain about how city government is "screwing them"! It is considered "free speech" to have a opinion on every topic. However the constant bickering about every decision that is made and the constant attacks on certain members of the city makes it obvious to see that there is a AGENDA to this forum. I have been around long enough to see that the devil you know might be better then the devil you don't know. If the members want to get together and waste the time bickering on this sight instead of putting the time and effort into volunteering time to make the city a better place then shame on this sight. No one on this sight knows what goes into the City mgr's decisions nor do they want to learn! Name a town in Michigan that is happy with the city mgr! If you name that town look at the salary and perks of the position. We all BIT*& about the elected officials yet a town this size should make it easy to be elected if you so choose. I know nobody wants to hear this but Rowdy has given up a lot of time and effort to the city. Do I agree with everything he did? I certainly didn't run against him! Joes position might no be there if he chooses to find another job! Is anybody on this forum have the education to take over his position. Its going to take more then being a Zoo Keeper to take it! If this sight would recognize the good in the community and focus on how we could do our part to make it better the city commissioners job would then be easy. Has there been bad decisions made in TR. I think there has. But were all still here! There's something about this town that is special. Look at the TRPD k9 drive. People always come out in force to help a good cause. There are Cities much better off that cant get that support. Maybe we should all focus on what we can do to make TR better and forget politics for awhile. Unfortunately we live in a small town in Michigan and the outlook is grim. The neighboring communities are laying off fireman and public service is taking a hit. There is a lot of good to look at. Lets try and recognize the good for a change. I agree that this sight has potential of being a good thing, however, the pulse of this forum is not good. I look on this forum when I want to see what petty complaints people have. Lets get out and become the solution and not the problem. Let politics rest for the time being. I would bet tomorrow if the whole commission changed and Joe was gone we on this forum would still have constant complaints.

Three Rivers City Commission News

Three Rivers Area • Aug 22, 2009 7:45 PM

Why is it if its that broken the good people on this sight cant run for a seat and fix it? I do know who Joe works for. I also know its easier to Bi#$@ then to put the efort into fixing it. Why hasnt anyone on this sight been elected? Why does Joe keep getting away with doing the "devils work"? I think I have the answers if anyone cares to hear them.

Three Rivers City Commission News

Three Rivers Area • Aug 21, 2009 8:50 PM

This forum can be very educational in some ways however the negativity that is portrayed can be very biased with no logic to back it up. This is for another topic however! As far as Joe Bippus and the open commision seat is concerned I dont feel that having a police officer or any other city employee is a good thing to have on a commission! We would then see a city of 8000 people having a police force of 200 and a fire dept that is better equipped then NYFD. Politics is a nasty bussiness and decisions have to be made. Whether Joe is good at his job is relatively unknown to me. I dont know the specifics of his day to day routine. To me he has a passion for this town otherwise he would not put up with all the "nay sayers" and find a job elsewhere. To me it is common sense for him as a city manager to politic for seats on a commission. If you think that you wouldnt I truly dont believe you have ever been in a position such as this. You have to have support and a commission that works well together to do whats best for a community such as this. Without it where would we be. I challenge the good people on this sight to run for the commission and gain a seat and a voice! If you do not like the city manager I challenge you to gain the education and the will to take his job! I feel you would be very surprised at how impossible it is to make a town such as this prosper without causing conflict!!! I can arm chair decisions all day long with the best of them. Old quotes and sayings are great to read but its hard to put myself in the same class as the people that wrote them.