The Free Press and the News both ran stories today about the EFM situations in Pontiac and Benton Harbor.
From the Freep:
http://www.freep.com/article/2011122...text|FRONTPAGENew details emerged today in the Pontiac fire fighters' agreement on Wednesday to dissolve and merge with Waterford Township’s department rather than risk losing their jobs altogether. The 57 firefighters voted on a plan presented by the city’s emergency manager that would save the nearly insolvent city some $3 million. As part of the merger, two fire stations in Pontiac would be closed, and the city would enter into a 10-year contract with Waterford Township at a cost of about $6.2 million per year for the first four years.The move would round out cost-cutting measures in public safety that also included outsourcing police duties starting Aug. 1 to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
“I think residents will be happy,” said Pontiac Emergency Manager Lou Schimmel, who negotiated the deal with the fire department and earlier, with police.Within a couple of months, the sheriff’s office reported it increased warrant requests to prosecutors by some 300% to 400%, and had improved the arrest rate in the city by nearly 400%. Schimmel predicted similar outcomes with the fire merger.
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