In a called meeting, the possibility of merging Task Unit 1 with the Osgood Volunteer Fire Department brought some mixed feelings among the groups involved.

The meeting was held August 28 at the Task Unit 1 building at the request of Center Township Trustee Bill Warren. In attendance were fire chiefs and officers from the Osgood, Napoleon and Delaware fire departments, along with trustees from Jackson, Center and Delaware townships - Bill Warren, Joan Menchhofer, and Paul A. Hardy - and three members of Task Unit 1 including President Doug Wright.

Warren opened the meeting by saying, “This is something we’ve been talking about for a long time,” and continued talking about merging Task Unit 1 with the Osgood Volunteer Fire Department. Wright said he wasn’t sure who Warren had talked with but he had not been in on the conversations.

Warren continued by informing Wright that the Task Unit would merge with the Osgood Volunteer Fire Department and the equipment would become property of the fire department. Then if members wanted to continue to serve their community they would need to go through the fire department.

Osgood Fire Chief Chris Lemen noted that they would have to go through the application process and then a decision would be made as to whether they could join the department.
Warren said budgets have been cut this year and the township trustees were looking at ways to save money. Warren noted that the insurance alone would save thousands of dollars if the two organizations would merge together. The townships give money to the fire departments through a fire protection territory tax. They also fund Task Unit 1 in part, paying insurance and operating costs.

Warren said he wanted to thank Doug Wright personally, “You’ve done a good job,” he noted. But continued by saying right now the township trustees are receiving complaints that the Task Unit doesn’t have people on call during the day. Wright noted that they had been on 254 runs last year and continue to take about that many this year as well. He said they, like many other volunteer departments, do struggle with some daytime calls, but to his knowledge it hadn’t been an issue.

Warren explained that the Osgood Volunteer Fire Department would provide extrication for the three townships the Task Unit now serves. He said everything would run under the direction of Fire Chief Chris Lemen. Each fire department would have to provide first response for their respective areas. Right now none of the three have active first responders. However, Delaware Fire Department has been working on this and some of their members have recently completed the training but need the funds to equip them.

Wright noted that he felt “blind-sided” by the order to merge and said he was told the meeting was just a “discussion meeting.” He said, “It seems you and (indicated by pointing to Chris Lemen) him have already discussed this and made the decision.” He asked if the Task Unit was being shut down that night with Warren initially answering, “basically, yes.”
Wright advised Warren that township money had not bought the equipment and it wouldn’t be going anywhere. He then asked if he should contact communications telling them they wouldn’t be taking any more runs. Wright asked Lemen if he was ready to take over with Osgood’s big celebration just days away. Lemen said he was and his department could do the job.

Discussion ensued among those present with Napoleon’s Fire Chief, Ralph Meyer saying, “We’re not ready for this tonight.” He said they would be left without any first responders in the Napoleon area and he felt that would not be good for their community. Delaware Fire Department has first responders but they don’t have equipment. Both felt they wouldn’t be ready to take over at a moment’s notice. Osgood Chief Lemen answered the question about first responders saying his department doesn’t run first response at the present time.
Wright said he needed to discuss what was taking place with his members. With much discussion Warren asked Wright if the Task Unit would continue serving the community until the end of December of this year.

After the meeting, some members of the Task Unit said they felt the whole thing was done inappropriately, wondering if the township trustee had the right to shut down the not-for-profit organization and order them to give their equipment to another not-for-profit organization. Wright said he would be contacting an attorney and his membership and then proceed from there. He addressed the allegation that their unit was not responding appropriately by saying, “We’ve all got full-time jobs like most other volunteers and we try to take every run.”

After meeting with Task Unit members on Tuesday night following the Monday meeting, Wright said his membership was willing to work hard to keep the unit intact.