Frank Nemcek wants to see the problems in Brooke-Alvinston’s fire service solved.
Nemcek, 54, and a full time farmer, is seeking his third term on Brooke-Alvinston council in the Oct. 22. And one of his main goals is to make sure the dispute between former Inwood firefighters and the municipality is resolved.
Why are you running for council?
“The one issue is the Inwood Fire Department – I would like to see that all settled. And we have a lot of new development in town here and I want to see it keep going. We have a new fourplex being built soon. I want to see things going forward like they are now.”
Is that the biggest issue in the election in Brooke-Alvinston?
“The Optimist Club wants to put an addition on the arena and there isn’t a lot of money out there right now. We’ve applied for grants but we didn’t get them. People are worried if certain people get in and want this addition, how are we going to pay for it without raising taxes. I think that and the Inwood Fire Department are the two big ones. After that I think we should keep doing what we’re doing.” Nemcek says that includes putting hard surfaces on gravel roads.
“We have to do the best we can with the money we’ve got because people are at a limit. They can’t afford anymore.”
With the Inwood Fire Department – how do you solve that problem?
“I wish they wouldn’t have quit; we’re getting new recruits in now…
“I wish that these guys on the department that quick they can come back but they’ve got to reapply.
“Any training they’ve got will be credited toward them, if our fire chief says it is good, but they have to reapply.
“I think that’s where the issue is now, they don’t want to reapply. But they quit. If they didn’t quit, things would be a lot different.”
It is obvious there are some very strong feelings – can you bridge that problem?
“All we ask is get your training. If something ever happened, there would be a lawsuit…in this day and age people sue for every little thing.
“We’re just trying to protect the taxpayer of Brooke Township.”
You talk about development, some of the candidates feel there hasn’t been much progress in the last four years?
“I don’t know how they can say that. Look at the new grocery store, laundromat…where the old school was. There is a new apartment going to be built…we have a couple of new houses being built in town…
“I think we’re going ahead real good. You just look at how things have moved ahead in the last four years.”
How as a council can you encourage development to continue?
“When people come to council with all their ideas …I’m willing to listen to people with new ideas.
“If you have a new idea, bring it to council or bring it to me and we’ll go forward with it. It’s really just common sense.”