GRAND BLANC, MI—The crowd overflowed into a hallway at Grand Blanc City Hall Wednesday night as Dennis Smith was sworn in as the city’s new fire chief.
It’s a move that comes after city council members voted to form a new fire department by July 25. This puts an end to an 80-year partnership with Grand Blanc Township.
Township officials decided to end the joint relationship for fire services over a disagreement on the amount contributed by the city.
Many in the crowd at the special council meeting shared their disapproval of the city’s move, expressing concern over response times, associated costs and city leaders making the decision without more input from community members.
“We had voted for the millage (and) it was under the understanding we would have a full-time, on-call department,” said Angela Winiger.
She argued that, regardless of how the money was allotted, “it doesn’t take away from the fact that you took away our vote in the manner you felt best, not how we necessarily felt as a community.”
Township Supervisor Scott Bennett previously said residents in the municipality have paid approximately 84 percent of the costs for the department that spans both communities, while the city residents pay the remaining 16 percent.
The two sides had operated on an agreement since 2010 through an ordinance which states fire operations would be funded on both sides by .5 mill in voter-approved funding with an additional .5 mill coming from the general funds.
After the approval of an extra .5 mill for the fire services by township voters in August 2018, Grand Blanc voters approved an additional .5 mill in November 2018.
“This is not right,” said Winiger of the process that included the selection of Smith as fire chief. “The citizens were not given an opportunity to choose or make suggestions.”
City Manager Wendy Jean-Buhrer said she has confidence in Smith’s ability. He has spent time as the fire chief in Fenton.
“In my mind he would be the only person who could make this work and it be done the right way,” she added.
Jean-Buhrer said nine candidates stepped forward in the two weeks since the council’s vote. The city is aiming for 20 paid, on-call firefighters along with the fire chief and an assistant chief.
Those ranks could include police officers and Department of Public Works employees trained in the fire academy.
“That would help fill in the blanks for the day shifts as well,” said Jean-Buhrer.
Council members also voted Wednesday night for the purchase of a rescue vehicle, and an engine/pumper at approximately $500,000 and choose Metropolitan Appraisal Services to help put a value on equipment to be sold off as part of the dissolution of the joint department.
“In the dissolution, we’re looking to hopefully get that back and feed that back into our general fund,” Jean-Buhrer said, noting there’s approximately $2.5 million in the city’s general fund that could be used if needed.
Smith has offered a one-year commitment, with Jean-Buhrer stating the plan is to have him train the assistant chief who’ll move into the spot.
A fire study commissioned by the city will be presented at its May 8 council meeting.
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