To the Editor of the DAY

                           “If  it works…don’t fix it” and “bigger is not better”

This is in reply to the article “Bill targets fire district elections” in 1/22/15 Region Section.

Representative John Scott is wrong to criticize how CT fire districts elect their boards of directors. He blames the existing election process for the problems at Poquonnock Bridge and suggests a light attendance at their annual meetings allows just a few people to make decisions. Scott proposes that the process be changed to a political one, with Democrats and Republicans nominating potential board members. And Mr. Ron Yuhas of the PBFDistrict board is also wrong to state that one big Town department will save taxpayers money. We already know that is not true, especially when we use Volunteers at our Fire Departments.

I’ve been a resident taxpayer of a local Groton fire district for 45 years which has had stable management for that entire time with healthy residential and business participation. The “hands on” district officers control costs while maintaining Water Supply and Volunteer Fire/EMS Departments with proper equipment and fire/rescue apparatus. We’ve always been able to pay “up front” for a new fire engine.

As a recent example, grant money was made available for 12 Solar Panel system installations on several Groton Municipal buildings including our firehouse. Our district officers moved quickly with our paperwork and received our firehouse installation promptly, while the paperwork for the other 11 centrally controlled facilities in Town was never filed promptly and thereby they lost the grant. So much for the efficiency of centralization.

It shouldn’t matter if our district officers are Democrats or Republicans. I’ve observed time and energy wasted in Town Council meetings many times because of bickering between the two political parties…to say nothing of the mess we constantly observe nationally.

Poquonnock Bridge was poorly managed and greater residential participation is now helping to solve that problem. The majority of CT  fire districts are well managed with locally controlled costs and healthy participation by taxpayers. Don’t spoil efficient systems that work properly by trying to “improve” them with a two-party political solution and centralized controls.

Thank you for your time.

Ed Johnson, Groton