The Independent Staff

Dawn-Euphemia Council is taking a wait and see attitude on the idea of hiring a part-time administrative fire chief.

Brooke-Alvinston is considering the move as it looks to merge the Inwood and Alvinston departments.

It hoped to hire a part-time chief to take care of the paperwork required by the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal.

It is asking neighbouring municipalities if they might be interested in working with Brooke-Alvinston.

Mayor Al Broad says it is likely if Brooke-Alvinston moves ahead with a part-time chief, Dawn-Euphemia taxpayers will foot some of the bill since the municipality has a service agreement with both Inwood and Alvinston.

“I’m not sure how we can avoid paying some of the costs because it will be in (the fire department’s) budget,” he says.

But he’s not certain Dawn-Euphemia would want to use the chief’s administrative services for its own department.

“I have talked to the chief and he has some ideas and some concerns but we will look at it.

“I don’t think personally it is a bad idea but it depends on the roles and responsibilities. And I would never call him a chief… it would be more like an administrator of emergency management.

“I would still want the chief to be the chief of our department.”

Broad says the local volunteers do have an onerous amount of paperwork to do, so extra help might be welcome.

But he says council will consider the move after hearing what direction Brooke-Alvinston takes.