China emergency services committee finalizes recommendations for select board

The China Emergency Services Assessment Committee met on Sept. 24 to review six draft recommendations on the future of the town's fire and ambulance services, and agreed to add a seventh. The recommendations will be presented to the Select Board on Oct. 19. The committee also discussed whether to continue as a standing committee with an annual review.

Key points

• The committee reviewed six draft recommendations, including keeping the fire departments as volunteer associations, transitioning China Rescue to a municipal department with a paid staffing model over time, using the town office sign for recruiting, holding regional meetings with neighboring communities, and increasing the annual contingency fund for fire and EMS capital needs.
• Members agreed to add a seventh recommendation that the committee continue as a standing committee with at least an annual meeting to review emergency services; one member objected, saying standing committees tend to take on a life of their own, but said he would serve if asked.
• A proposal to name the current chief as chief of a new municipal rescue service was discussed but not adopted, with members saying personnel decisions belong to the town and that naming a person in a policy is inappropriate.
• Members debated whether to include a $1 million target for the fire and EMS contingency fund, currently funded at a much lower level, and settled on language setting the goal without a fixed deadline.
• One member raised concerns about rising property taxes and said any recommendation should recognize the burden on taxpayers.
• The committee also discussed asking an ambulance provider about staging an ambulance in the China area and about its future plans, with members noting the provider is not expected to raise its price for capital next year.

Next steps

• The consultant will update the recommendation document to add the seventh item and email it to committee members.
• The recommendations will be presented to the Select Board on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m., and committee members were encouraged to attend.

Read the full transcript