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Where are the Priorities?

I attended the Town of North Haven budget hearing on April 3 and was shocked to learn that money was not allocated for firefighters in accordance with the fire chief’s plea to add eight firefighters. There has been a substantial increase in development in town as well as an increase in the elderly population. Our volunteer firefighters are one third of the staff we have depended on over the years and we do not have enough fire personnel to handle the call volume. On average, one to two calls per week are going unanswered [by town staff] and then we depend on emergency service from our neighboring towns, which potentially delays response and puts our residents at greater risk.

A responsible town budget must include funds to ensure all residents are receiving essential emergency and vital services. Everything else is secondary. Instead, the budget presented had more questions than answers about how tax dollars are being managed. I am also disappointed that our town leadership showed poor planning in allowing not one but two expensive and highly controversial synthetic athletic fields to be installed when there is an ongoing problem in funding needed fire equipment and personnel. Where are the priorities?

Kathy Grant

North Haven