St. Charles, MO, January 18, 2012: The community spoke and the Cottleville Fire Protection District (CFPD) Board of Directors listened. The Board recently placed Proposition CARES (Citizens Advancing Responsible Emergency Services) on the April 3, 2012 ballot. Proposition CARES asks the community to approve funding to implement the community created CARES long-range plan.
Since September, residents and community leaders have come together to learn more about the District and provide feedback through the CARES program. The result of their work is a multi-phase plan to help the District meet current and future challenges.
“Over the past few months we have worked very hard to learn about the challenges facing our Fire District. District and area experts have been very transparent in providing us with the information we needed to make informed decisions to create a solid long-range plan for the future,” explains Steve Mahler, a District resident who served on the CARES facilitating team. “The CARES Proposition is the result of the community saying what they think the District needs in order to continue providing us with the emergency services we expect.”
If approved, Proposition CARES will provide funding for the District to:
- oPreserve the current level of emergency services
- oProvide up-to-date firefighter/EMT training
- oMove toward meeting national safety standards by acquiring additional firefighter/EMTs
- oAcquire a full-time training officer to ensure training meets national standards
- oEstablish a capital projects fund for the proactive repair and maintenance of facilities
- oRe-establish the public safety education program
- oProvide for regular, proactive, equipment maintenance and replacement
- oMaintain a balanced budget
Proposition CARES would increase the District’s operating tax-rate by 27-cents. This would mean an additional investment of less than $2 a week for the owner of a $200,000 home.
“We are very happy to see that the Board followed through on the community’s recommendations,” says CARES Community Co-Chair Kim King, “The implementation of the CARES plan is critical for the future of our emergency services.”
“The work the community put into the CARES long-range plan is exceptional,” says CFPD Board President Mike Reiter. “It means a lot to have our residents come together to create a long-range plan that will provide a strong foundation for the District to continue its level of service, and grow in the future.”
Additional information is available at www.cottlevillefire.org, or by calling 636-441-8799.
About CARES:
Through the citizen-led CARES (Citizens Advancing Responsible Emergency Services) program community members have had an opportunity to learn more about all aspects of the fire and emergency rescue service and assist in creating a long-range plan for CFPD. At each meeting, participants heard an informational presentation, and then provided feedback that was used to formulate the recommendations for the long-range plan. These recommendations were presented to the CFPD Board of Directors in December. A team of community members including Co-Chairs Jason Duncan and Kim King and Community Leaders Cathy Elsea, Will Klein and Steve Mahler are leading the CARES effort.
