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<br />• <br />r~ <br />i~ <br />replied some have 7 rating because of lack of water in many areas -but no one seemed <br />to have ratings of other villages . <br />Stan Schultz has survey of Fire Departments in Hennepin County and he read list of seven <br />villages and perhaps there are more. He said we are not discussing just three men - <br />these are communities that have full time people -this is a complete survey and the sizes <br />and the wages also. I don't know if people know about how much we make - it is $585 <br />a month -this is $85 lower a month than the lowest on this survey. I don`t know if this <br />has any value but there are some people in Minneapolis suburban areas that felt full <br />time men were desirable and needed. <br />Warkentien: Mr. Stone has been tax consultant on the Council. <br />Stone: We have been working on the budget and Fire Department assuming that we <br />adopted this we are going to have to increase by 4-1/2 mills - if we drop the idea of <br />going to volunteer and stay on this same basis, the basis of that would raise it about <br />10 mills. If we do also add another $8500 for radios, we are going to have to increase <br />about 15 mills. This is one of the aspects that hasn't been covered here tonight. <br />Ralph Reed 1485 West Idaho: We lived here before Falcon Heights was a village. We <br />have gone through this. Tell us the comparable base rate between Roseville and Falcon <br />Heights. We all know that we never go into a store today that we don't pay an increase <br />in the cost of living. I don't believe the people who live in Falcon Heights are going to <br />complain too much about increase in their tax base, if they feel they are protecting their <br />homes and their property. We have lived here a long time. We prefer to stay here <br />because we think it is the finest village in this part of the city and we would like to <br />keep it that way. <br />Mrs. Thomas 1710 St. Mary's Avenue: Have any of these surrounding towns ever had full <br />time service and then gone to volunteer service - or is ~ the other way around usually? <br />Ecklund: In the communities - I don't know of any that have had full time service. <br />Mrs. Thomas: Do they know what full time service would give them? If they have never <br />had it, they don't know. There is no way to compare if you have never had it. I am so <br />close to the fire department and curious to know where the fire trucks are going -and I <br />know it is a matter of a few seconds from the time the call comes in to when the truck <br />goes out. <br />Ecklund: You don't know what time the calls come in. <br />Mrs. Thomas: Last night our neighbor had need. I called the fire dept. because I know <br />I will get prompt response. At least ten minutes later the sheriff was there and in another <br />five minutes the dog catcher was there. I know they had to call the sheriff. I cannot <br />believe that someone in Roseville, even if he has a radio, can be down here in less <br />than four minutes . How are you going to have the truck out in that time ? <br />Helbig said Ron Peterson was the closest. <br />Mrs. Thomas: You can't tell me it would take little time. Why don`t we try it and see <br />how fast a man can get here. I hate to give up something that I know for sure for <br />something that I don't know for sure. I know' you know a lot more about it than I, <br />but I wouldn't want my house to catch on fire. <br />Helbig mentioned about the rest of the state and town that have volunteer fire departments . <br />Mrs. Thomas: We are going to save a few measly dollars and somebody in this <br />community is going to be sorry. The personal aspect of it I don't really see how the <br />community can turn away full time employees. Are you going to find other jobs -what are <br />you going to do about this? I wouldn't think this was possible. What do you do? <br />Warkentien: As I understand it with their time off~hey get plenty of time off- i~they <br />moonlight . <br />Mrs. Thomas: What/~you going to do about pensions? <br />Warkentien: The state provides PERA. Employees contribute too. That is the way it is <br />being taken care of -there was no agreement .in the beginning. <br />Mrs. Thomas: Are all these men young men? are you considering the personal part of <br />this at all? I think Mr. Nilsen had a very good idea. They are due something besides <br />just leaving here. The village is sadly remiss. <br />Warkentien: We aren't that heartless. <br />