(Port Sanilac) – The effort to develop a fire authority in eastern Sanilac County continues to progress, following an informal public meeting where details were explained Tuesday evening. Port Sanilac President Ray Mach said the meeting was productive and everyone seemed to be in favor of the process moving forward. Representatives from Forester Township, Sanilac Township and the Village of Port Sanilac have been working for over a year to strike an agreement that was fair and equitable to all entities.
Originally, some on the Adhoc Committee had suggested a funding formula based on SEV values. However, Forester and Sanilac would have ended up funding almost 90% of the venture, which was unacceptable to those members. A compromise funding formula was reached two weeks ago, setting the stage for further talks and planning.
Despite being what he called a sparse crowd in attendance, Mach said he felt everyone who attended the meeting this week came away with a better understanding of the plan and what the goals of the authority are. He said the next step will be for the Adhoc Committee to meet again to fine tune details and schedule formal public Hearings.
If all goes well, the Eastern Sanilac Fire Authority could become reality within the next six months.