I got a heated call from Burton Volunteer Fire Chief Mike Sestak tonight disputing Kelly Thompson's previous post earlier today.  He gave me so much information I couldn't get it all down, but I did remember his response to this question:  "Mike, are some of the calls to back-up other fire departments rather than serve the Burton people?"  Answer:  "Yes."  I asked for a breakdown of the call list and he said he would get that.  I told him that I didn't think MY TAX DOLLARS should go to bucking up the smaller volunteer departments in the area and that I knew they made MANY runs to Burton Health Care.  And I asked, "If a good bit of these squad runs are to Burton Health Care, why is that because they have their own doctors and medical staff don't they? 

     Mike's response was that they are paid for squad runs, but that BHC often only pays a flat $300 instead of the usual $700.  What the hell is that about?  So many questions.  I finally asked him to write a blog post and explain everything...

     Mike kept saying his full-time guys - all of them from Kirtland and Chesterland are only making $7 an hour and that he - Mike  and other volunteers - can't just leave their jobs and go on runs during the day.  Of course...  So they are spread thin and THEY WANT MORE MONEY.  So Mike proposes a "Fire District" that will EVEN OUT the amount of money paid to the fire dept. instead of now the townships paying for less - the village more.  That screws over the townships and the townships have already met his request coldly...  See the local rag papers for that story - it was in last week.

     I told Mike this:  "We are not paying any more taxes.  Make do."  I said to use that $450,000 "over-run" of fire money that the village and townships have.  He said he can NOT pay salary with that money - that it is only set aside for purchase of equipment.  How could that be?  It OUR TAX MONEY that would have gone to the fire house, so why can't it be used for paying the full time guys?  Hmmm...

     I told Mike to write a blog post and put this whole thing in writing.  He said he would.  But he has said that before, but no article...  The English teacher in me says, "Get your homework finished and turn it in!"  Please, Mike.  Set it straight, bro!