Townships call city's bluff - and win
By
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By RORY RYAN
The Highland County Press
Did a group of townships trustees simply call the city of Hillsboro's bluff – and win?
Could it possibly be that simple?
Surely, not.
After first agreeing to provide emergency medical services to the townships through Dec. 31, 2011, and then reneging on that agreement in a March 17 letter sent to the townships by Hillsboro Safety Service Director Ralph Holt – with a cutoff of services effective June 30 – now, exactly three months later, Mr. Holt has informed the townships – through their legal counsel – that the city will, in fact, provide EMS services through the end of the year as originally agreed.
Got all that?
Me, neither.
If Mr. Holt ever plays cards, he'd be advised not to bluff. In poker parlance, he just got a speeding ticket. Good for the township trustees. Their patience paid off.
On March 17, despite a vote to the contrary by Hillsboro City Council and in spite of assurances by Hillsboro City Auditor Gary Lewis that the city budget could withstand the EMS contract, Mr. Holt sent a letter to the township trustees saying that due to the city's financial hardship the EMS coverage would be canceled on June 30.
Three months later, on a Friday afternoon, we are now informed that Mr. Holt was "somewhat surprised by the city auditor's assessment that we (the city) will not have a shortfall in our Fire/EMS Department this year after all."
With all due respect, are you serious, Mr. Holt?
This attempt to place blame on the city auditor, if that's the intent, may be one of the more disingenuous comments to ever come from the city administration (except that there have been so many of them, it's hard to keep track).
If Mr. Holt was, indeed, surprised by the city auditor's assessment, he's about the only one.
Hillsboro City Auditor Gary Lewis has maintained throughout this unfortunate ordeal that the city budget could maintain the EMS coverage through the end of 2011. Mr. Lewis has stated this publicly, in the local media and in private conversations with anyone who's asked.
The city administration has placed undue blame on the auditor before, as those of us who watch the charades of city government know all too well. They were wrong then and they are wrong now.
A two-paragraph letter sent on June 17 from Mr. Holt to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, who provides legal counsel to the affected townships, hardly begins to explain the incredible waste of time and energy of taxpayers' resources accrued since his March 17 "deadline" letter.
How many needless meetings among city, township and county officials were held in the three-month period between letters?
Mr. Holt's letter also fails to apologize to the many residents in the affected townships, particularly those who are elderly or who may live alone.
Do you realize how much these people have worried the past 90 days about a loss of EMS coverage? If nothing else, the Hillsboro mayor, safety service director and city council owe them an apology.
Hillsboro City Council also ought to issue a reprimand against its leadership for such blatant disregard for public safety and good government. And Hillsboro citizens and taxpayers ought to be outraged.
Mr. Holt and the city "leadership" have caused more unnecessary grief than any of us will know. But the blame lies with them. And any talk of a "surprise" from the auditor's assessment is just tilting at windmills.
Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
The Highland County Press
Did a group of townships trustees simply call the city of Hillsboro's bluff – and win?
Could it possibly be that simple?
Surely, not.
After first agreeing to provide emergency medical services to the townships through Dec. 31, 2011, and then reneging on that agreement in a March 17 letter sent to the townships by Hillsboro Safety Service Director Ralph Holt – with a cutoff of services effective June 30 – now, exactly three months later, Mr. Holt has informed the townships – through their legal counsel – that the city will, in fact, provide EMS services through the end of the year as originally agreed.
Got all that?
Me, neither.
If Mr. Holt ever plays cards, he'd be advised not to bluff. In poker parlance, he just got a speeding ticket. Good for the township trustees. Their patience paid off.
On March 17, despite a vote to the contrary by Hillsboro City Council and in spite of assurances by Hillsboro City Auditor Gary Lewis that the city budget could withstand the EMS contract, Mr. Holt sent a letter to the township trustees saying that due to the city's financial hardship the EMS coverage would be canceled on June 30.
Three months later, on a Friday afternoon, we are now informed that Mr. Holt was "somewhat surprised by the city auditor's assessment that we (the city) will not have a shortfall in our Fire/EMS Department this year after all."
With all due respect, are you serious, Mr. Holt?
This attempt to place blame on the city auditor, if that's the intent, may be one of the more disingenuous comments to ever come from the city administration (except that there have been so many of them, it's hard to keep track).
If Mr. Holt was, indeed, surprised by the city auditor's assessment, he's about the only one.
Hillsboro City Auditor Gary Lewis has maintained throughout this unfortunate ordeal that the city budget could maintain the EMS coverage through the end of 2011. Mr. Lewis has stated this publicly, in the local media and in private conversations with anyone who's asked.
The city administration has placed undue blame on the auditor before, as those of us who watch the charades of city government know all too well. They were wrong then and they are wrong now.
A two-paragraph letter sent on June 17 from Mr. Holt to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, who provides legal counsel to the affected townships, hardly begins to explain the incredible waste of time and energy of taxpayers' resources accrued since his March 17 "deadline" letter.
How many needless meetings among city, township and county officials were held in the three-month period between letters?
Mr. Holt's letter also fails to apologize to the many residents in the affected townships, particularly those who are elderly or who may live alone.
Do you realize how much these people have worried the past 90 days about a loss of EMS coverage? If nothing else, the Hillsboro mayor, safety service director and city council owe them an apology.
Hillsboro City Council also ought to issue a reprimand against its leadership for such blatant disregard for public safety and good government. And Hillsboro citizens and taxpayers ought to be outraged.
Mr. Holt and the city "leadership" have caused more unnecessary grief than any of us will know. But the blame lies with them. And any talk of a "surprise" from the auditor's assessment is just tilting at windmills.
Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]