Will of the people in fire hall decision?

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Dear Editor:

I pose the question, what is the role and duty of town council when a large number of people oppose a prospective decision council has made? I write of the location of the fire hall and related services.

In reference to the two locations council has listed as number one and two, two petitions each with two or three hundred names attached strongly opposing them have been presented to council.

Even though council has been elected to represent us thereby setting up indirect democracy, is there still not an opportunity for direct democracy from the people to override any council decision?

There has to be, otherwise a relatively small group can impose their will on its combined citizenry regardless of their strong opposition to that will.

Without rehearsing all of the reasons why the two locations were opposed by so many people, council must seriously consider withdrawing the choices and consider other options.

The first is to again study why the present fire hall has to be relocated. The second is what is so bad about having fire-control sprinklers in our homes? I have some in mine and am grateful for them. I gladly pay the small extra expense of maintaining them. Perhaps having these sprinklers in every building in the entire town of Taber is a positive rather than a negative feature and could be used as a selling point to those considering locating their residence or business here. For me it would be a necessity. Why wait for ten minutes or less for a fire truck response, when with inbuilt sprinklers I have immediate and automatic response to any fire in my own home?

Let’s sell the idea of installing fire suppression systems in all of our buildings. In the long run they would be less expensive than spending millions of dollars to relocate a fire hall nearer the centre of town. Savings in insurance, greater peace of mind and added protection of those we love and who dwell or work within the places where we live and work is worth the relatively small expense involved in securing a more safe environment for all of us.

RAY SHEEN

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