My name has been familiar in the South Lane area for the past 50 years. I have been a volunteer with many organizations and have chaired committees – fire department, hospital, Bohemia Mining Days, and others.
Many young first-time voters in South Lane may not be familiar with me and my support of SLCFR.
In my 50 years in the community, in the beginning, there were three groups: a volunteer fire department in Creswell with a paid chief, a volunteer rural fire district with a governing board, and the city of Cottage Grove, managed by a fire chief who reported to the city manager.
Due to economic constraints and the District’s growth, in 2000, it became apparent that we needed to merge the three entities into one. This was very successful, but met with many birthing pains. There was a great deal of bickering at first.
The merger has been very successful for the past several years. Several large tax increases have not been necessary due to the merger’s success.
But NOW, if we look at Creswell, South Lane County, and the city of Cottage Grove, that progress has become very apparent over the 25 years since the merger.
Taxpayer, take a drive around and look at the increase for your paramedics and firefighters. Vacant lots have been turned into 3-4 homes. My lane has several new homes. These are additional responsibilities for those who respond to a fire or paramedic call.
In my first year on the SLCFR board, we handled about 2,800 calls. Today, it is reported that the same crew is responding to over 5,800 – pushing 6,000 – calls a year. If you look at the cost of everything else – wages, fire equipment — they have skyrocketed in that period of time. Ambulances put on over 100,000 miles a year.
In 1958, I started in Everett, Washington. We had a fire brigade on the plant site where I worked. I was trained on aerial ladders, and I had a certificate on my hard hat since the early 1960s.
When I came to Cottage Grove in 1975, I was asked to write a formal program and train Weyerhaeuser employees in Cottage Grove on the proper use of fire hoses and extinguishers, and on the dangers of gas and chemical fires. I spent hours at the fire station talking with then-Chief Bruce Lamb and assistant chief Steve Allen. With their help and training, we trained a bucket brigade of firefighters on the Weyerhaeuser plant site.
When the new merger was discussed around 2000, I was asked to serve on the board of directors. I spent many hours working with other departments to learn their ways so that I could be a better board member in South Lane.
I have tremendous respect for firefighters and paramedics. The world of volunteers has changed drastically over the past 25 years. When I came to the service, we were CPR-trained and slightly fire-trained.
Today, by statute, to be a volunteer firefighter or paramedic, you are required to have the same training as a paid position.
I would ask the voter to think about spending months of training as a volunteer and holding your own job to support your family, when you could be a full-time firefighter and paramedic and draw wages. So, the world of volunteerism has almost disappeared.
Before the merger, we had 32 volunteer firefighters, and Cottage Grove, combined with South Lane, had about the same number. But that total of 60 volunteers then is down to 4-5 today.
I ask voters to take a hard look at a “YES” vote to increase the tax levy to support our fire department and paramedics at South Lane Fire and Rescue.
Chief John Wooten, you have my support. You and your department have shown good leadership. You are doing your job well with what you have to work with. You have not complained. But the voters have handed you an impossible task in voting down the levy a few months ago. You have a job to do. The taxpayer needs to give you and your departments their support. It is that simple.
Yes, I can go over your budget, and your call volume, and I could do little picky things – but you need support from the public.
The levy has my endorsement.
Donald Williams is a longtime Cottage Grove resident, community leader, and volunteer.
