[cifnmedia] Station 2 files lawsuit to regain equipment
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- To: "Sean Aaron" <cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,"Brad Dietrick" <bradfurniturefirst@xxxxxxxxxxx>,"BRAD DIETRICK" <badleybreak@xxxxxxxxx>, <cifnmedia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2004 18:25:02 -0400
Saturday, June 12, 2004
Local News
Station 2 files lawsuit to regain equipment
By Joe E. Carmean Jr.
Daily Times Staff Writer
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SALISBURY -- The Station 2 Volunteer Fire Company has filed a second
lawsuit against the city of Salisbury and Fire Chief David See, this time to
regain rescue equipment they claim was wrongfully removed from their Brown
Street firehouse several weeks ago.
"The city has left us no other choice but to seek legal relief in getting
our equipment returned," Station 2 President Harold Scott said Friday. "We paid
for it. It's ours, and we want it back."
Scott said the equipment, worth about $84,000, was purchased with
Wicomico County funds, money raised by the company, state grants and donations
from within the Station 2 fire district.
"We've never disputed ownership of the rescue truck that was taken at the
same time," he said. "That belongs to the city. We just want our equipment back
so we can put it on our other vehicles and continue to provide rescue services
when needed."
Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman said Friday the city has never disputed
ownership of the equipment.
"We don't disagree that Station 2 bought those tools, but that doesn't
mean it isn't city property," she said.
Tilghman said she found the second lawsuit discouraging since See has
been working to resolve problems with the volunteers.
"I just find this all to be very unfortunate," she said. "We don't
dispute ownership of the equipment, just how those tools could be used."
See said the Salisbury fire department is following the recommendations
outlined in a 2001 operational study provided by an independent consulting
firm. The study called for consolidation of fire rescue services from three
trucks to one.
"The reason for removing the truck is reducing redundancy within the
department," he said. "Allowing them to keep the rescue equipment so it can be
put on other vehicles just circumvents what we're trying to accomplish."
Upon a proposal by former Fire Chief Stephen Brezler, which was
implemented more than 15 months ago, he unified the city's three fire companies
under one battalion chief, volunteers expressed that there would be more
favoritism to career firefighters and opposed the change.
The conflict continued until the Station 2 members threatened to separate
from the city.
A "memorandum of understanding" was drafted between the volunteers and
city officials in May 2003 to end the dispute.
But when city fire officials removed a rescue truck and equipment from
Station 2, the fighting resumed, culminating with a lawsuit against the chief
and city for failing to promote a volunteer firefighter and another lawsuit to
regain the rescue equipment.
See said Friday's lawsuit doesn't change his goal to work with Bill
Nutter, first assistant fire chief at Station 2, to consolidate the city's
rescue force into one unit and dispose of any extra equipment.
"We are working through this process and the city attorney can work on
the lawsuit," he said.
The city should not be able to "dispose" of equipment that does not
belong to them, Scott said.
"What if we had two emergencies, one to the south and one in our district
to the north?" he said. "With them downsizing the fleet, our potential to serve
the city is cut in half. They do not have the right to dictate that equipment."
a.. Reach Joe E. Carmean Jr. at 410-845-4635 or
jcarmean@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Email this story
Originally published Saturday, June 12, 2004
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