To the Editor:

"Volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they have the heart" –Elizabeth Andrew, one of the most fitting quotes for any volunteer with any group. Anyone willing to put the time and work into their community should not be denied the opportunity to do so.

Unfortunately, this is what is happening in the Town of Lawrence, with the dissolution of two fire departments, Nicholville and North Lawrence Fire departments. Without public knowledge or input, the Lawrence Town Board made a unanimous decision not to contract with Nicholville or North Lawrence Fire departments effective Jan. 1, 2016, leaving them no choice but to dissolve.

At a prior meeting, assurances were made this was only a discussion at this time as they were looking at ways they could reduce the budget. Members of the board stated "there was no outcry from the public about the fire protection budget." When the town board was asked how much savings there would be, the town board didn’t have an answer, nor did they have an answer for how much they were looking to budget for the sole fire department.

Board members were asked to contact other area departments as to the cost of extra fire protection with regard to mutual aid. Although the board stated they did compare other departments with the same square footage, they failed to research what the budgets were for these areas, some more than the current budget of the three departments combined. Without any knowledge of this, the board still made the decision to contract with one department, Lawrenceville Fire.

It has been publicly stated that many volunteers would not be accepted into the Lawrenceville Fire Department, leaving upward of about of 35 members with no place to volunteer. With the training these volunteers have, how do you tell someone that they can no longer assist their neighbor in need? Especially when they get up in the middle of the night and the temperature is twenty-five below. This is not a consolidation.

The town is holding a special meeting on April 30 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the dissolution of the fire departments. Our firemen and fire women encourage you to attend and support your fire departments. The savings that may be obtained are not worth losing a home or a life over.

Sheri Wilson

President, Nicholville Fire Department