Wilson County Fire Protection and Emergency Services

The purpose of this petition is to create public awareness of the serious shortfall in the provision of Fire Protection and Emergency Services throughout Wilson County, to attract attention to the issue of Fire Protection and Emergency Services in this county and their causes, and to develop momentum toward solving the Fire Protection and Emergency Services issues throughout Wilson County through citizen involvement and by applying significant public pressure on "ALL" of the politicians in "ALL" of Wilson County, and its several Municipal Governments, to force them to take appropriate action to resolve this issue.%uFFFD

%uFFFDThere are two organizations in the State of Tennessee that are established by the State Legislature for the purpose of assisting Municipal and County governments.%uFFFD The organization known as %u201CCounty Technical Assistance Service%u201D (%u201CCTAS%u201D) was created to help County Governments in Tennessee, and the organization known as %u201CMunicipal Technical Assistance Service%u201D (%u201CMTAS%u201D) was created to help the Governments of Incorporated Cities in Tennessee.%uFFFD CTAS and MTAS are made up of former government administrators and other experts to provide timely, up-to-date, accurate, and insightful information and assistance to governments in order to help them make wise and appropriate decisions.%uFFFD

%uFFFDA few years back, there was a tremendous amount of acrimony in Wilson County regarding the provision of Fire Protection and Emergency Services in Mt. Juliet.%uFFFD The county was prepared to discontinue providing Fire Protection to Mt. Juliet and had sent a letter to the Board of Commissioners in Mt. Juliet stating that they were prepared to discontinue providing fire protection services to Mt. Juliet.%uFFFDOut of the events that took place during the ensuing days and weeks, CTAS and MTAS were commissioned to develop a joint study of the situation here and to come up with a suggested solution to the situation.%uFFFD CTAS and MTAS put considerable manpower and time into this study.%uFFFD The people who conducted the study are highly respected people who are experts in their field.%uFFFD They completed that study and delivered a final report to both the Wilson County Government and to the Government of the City of Mt. Juliet.%uFFFD You may read that study by going to the website I have listed here. http://radiofreemj.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/wilson_fire_study_2006.pdf The City of Mt. Juliet has made some strides toward meeting the suggestions that came from that study.%uFFFD I am not aware of what, if any, progress the County has made to meet the suggestions that were made for them to accomplish.%uFFFD

While I do not agree with the "political solutions" MTAS and CTAS came up with (While there is no actual section of the report that says, %u201Cpolitical solution%u201D, there is in %u201Ceffect%u201D a political solution) to solve the shortfalls in the provision of Fire Protection and Emergency Services, they have provided a very compelling argument that proves that Wilson County needs to make some serious investment into Fire Protection and Emergency Services and they also provided very insightful and helpful suggestions as to how to properly and efficiently provide fire protection and emergency services to %u201Call%u201D of Wilson County.%uFFFD It is my belief that they came up with their political solution to the problems we face because they knew that this issue in Wilson County is a Political powder keg, and rather than weigh in politically and risk throwing a spark in that powder keg, they confined themselves to %u201CFire protection and Emergency Services%u201D.%uFFFD I do believe they provided about as non-political a solution as is possible considering the players involved in our county%u2019s political landscape.%uFFFD Their goal seemed to be to protect the people, not correct and admonish politicians.%uFFFD To that end, I commend them, for it was not their function or purpose to correct the politics of Wilson County. %uFFFDHowever, you simply cannot separate politics from fire protection and emergency services in Wilson County in the current political climate.%uFFFD It is our job, and our duty as citizens, to correct and admonish our politicians and force them to do their jobs. %uFFFD

%uFFFDThere are laws regarding the funding of fire protection that must be adhered to and I can see no way that Wilson County could possibly be funding WEMA according to law, which is why I don%u2019t agree with the CTAS/MTAS political solution.%uFFFD Their solution was to work "around" the political issues.%uFFFD The problem with working around the political issue is that it doesn%u2019t solve the underlying problem that is %u201CCausing%u201D the shortfalls in Fire Protection and Emergency Services in this County and eventually the problems will be revisited upon us.%uFFFD

If you want to solve the issue of the shortfalls in the provision of Fire Protection and Emergency Services, not just for Mt. Juliet, but also throughout Wilson County, than this is the petition for you.%uFFFD We need a public that is prepared to stand up to both the County Government and the municipal governments of Wilson County and force them into Congress to solve this issue once and for all.%uFFFD It is time to stop the political tennis match that endangers the lives of the citizens of this county and that is wasteful and that continues the divide between East and West Wilson County.%uFFFD It is time for a fair, balanced, and equitable solution to the issues we face in Fire Protection and Emergency Services in Wilson County.%uFFFD Whether the outcome of that Congress would be that Mt. Juliet establishes its own city funded fire department, or whether the County is forced to develop Fire Tax Districts in accordance with the law, or whether there is a joint effort to change the existing laws applicable to this situation, or some other solution, there will not be an enduring solution until all of the politicians meet together to resolve this issue.%uFFFD Further, there will not be an enduring solution to these issue unless the public buys-in to the solution and is part of developing that solution.%uFFFD

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In addition to "our" safety and security, there is the safety and security of the fire fighters and emergency services workers to attend to as well.%uFFFD We need to protect and defend those who protect and defend us.%uFFFD Our Fire Fighters are seriously endangered by the chronic and acute manpower and equipment shortage in Wilson County and they have been crying out to the public for some time for their help and support in solving their dilemma.%uFFFD This is not a %u201CMt. Juliet%u201D issue, it is not an %u201CUnincorporated Wilson County issue%u201D, what we face is a %u201Cpublic issue%u201D that concerns every citizen of Wilson County, including those who live in each of the incorporated areas of Wilson County and those who live in Unincorporated Wilson County.%uFFFD We are all in this together, and the outcome affects each and every one of us.%uFFFD We owe it to ourselves, to each other, and to our children to solve this issue, and solve it now.%uFFFD

Solving this issue is also paramount to the future growth and prosperity of Wilson County.%uFFFD %uFFFDBy solving this issue we can attract large Class %u201CA%u201D office Buildings to Mt. Juliet, such as exists in Cool Springs and Maryland Farms.%uFFFD %uFFFDAlong with those class %u201CA%u201D office buildings comes large corporations with high-paying, professional jobs for those of us who live in Wilson County and for our children when they grow up.%uFFFD Those buildings don%u2019t come to Wilson County, especially Mt. Juliet, in part because there isn%u2019t adequate equipment and manpower to protect them.%uFFFD Growth in Mt. Juliet equates to growth in %u201CWilson County%u201D.%uFFFD Growth in this end of the county means tax revenues for all of Wilson County.%uFFFD Rather than working against one another, we should be working %u201CWith%u201D one another to create an ideal county where there is plenty of wide-open spaces %u201CAND%u201D plenty of jobs, shopping, and housing for everyone.

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Solving this issue solves many other issues at the same time, because this is a political issue, not a %u201Cfire department%u201D issue.%uFFFD The politics behind this issue are the same politics that lead to the bitterness that exists between East and West Wilson County.%uFFFD We need to make it abundantly clear to our politicians that we are through with them stirring up resentment and acrimony and working against what is best for the citizens of this county, especially when that resentment and acrimony endangers our very lives, and that we expect them to work together for the betterment of this entire county.%uFFFD

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So, if you want to fix the issues in Wilson County, and develop a more hospitable and cooperative political atmosphere where we live and prosper together, sign this petition.

Here is the statement you will be agreeing to:

"We, the people signing this petition, request that the governments that exist throughout Wilson County, including, but not limited to, Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, Watertown, and the County Administration, enter into a publicly held County Congress for the express purpose of addressing the shortfall in Fire Protection and Emergency Services that exists throughout Wilson County. %uFFFDThe goal should be to collectively work together to design a plan of action that will meet the fire protection and emergency service needs of "all" Wilson County Citizens in accordance with all applicable laws, according to good conscience, and that is moral and ethical. The solution must be equitable and fair to all citizens of this county. %uFFFDThis Congress must allow for public involvement and input so as to develop a real and enduring solution, not just a solution that is politically expedient today. %uFFFDThe public must be allowed to present facts, figures, arguments and documentation to this Congress in an effort to inform, persuade, and influence your decisions. We deserve, and demand, that you, as our elected representatives, give your immediate attention to the shortfalls in Fire Protection and Emergency Services provision throughout this county, whether through a congress as we suggest, or though some other means, and develop and design a plan of action that will solve this issue before it become a serous crisis."

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