By Michael Costanza
Published on 6/16/2000

Groton— A resident of the West Pleasant Valley Fire District, which pays the City of Groton for fire protection each year, wants the district to merge with the city.

Mary Archer, a resident of Walker Hill Road, raised the issue at the district’s annual meeting last week. Archer said merging with the city would increase the city’s tax base while allowing West Pleasant Valley residents to enjoy the same services city residents receive, such as trash collection and access to the city beach at Eastern Point.

Fire district and city officials aren’t as sure, however, that the city would benefit from such a move.

Unlike the town’s several other fire districts, West Pleasant Valley does not have its own fire department. Since the early 1960s, it has contracted with the city each year for fire protection.

In 1998, the city and fire district amended their agreement to require the city fire department to provide emergency medical response service as well. The fire district covers the area between the Thames River and the west side of Route 12, from Crystal Lake Road and the boundary of the Naval Submarine Base to the city’s northern boundary along Grove Avenue, near Interstate 95.

The Submarine Base fire department serves Navy housing within the district.

Payments

Under West Pleasant Valley’s new budget, approved at last week’s annual meeting, the district will pay the city $135,381 for fire protection in the next fiscal year. The district’s total budget stands at $147,531. In addition to the town’s tax rate, West Pleasant Valley taxpayers will pay a fire district tax of 3.5 mills. City residents pay 4.9 mills, but also receive such services as twice-a-week trash collection.

The city also maintains its own police, highway and sewer departments, while West Pleasant Valley residents receive those services from the town.

Archer said she is willing to pay the city’s higher tax rate if it means receiving the additional services. Outgoing fire district President Steve Kosman warned against the idea but welcomed Archer, who was elected as the district’s secretary, to research it more. Archer also plans to petition residents for support.

The city charter spells out the process for the city and fire district to consolidate. West Pleasant Valley voters would need to approve the merger at a district meeting, and city residents would have to vote on it at a referendum. The move would not require approval from the town, according to town Mayor Dolores “Dee” Hauber.

The town would not lose tax revenue from the merger since all taxpayers pay town taxes regardless of what district they live or do business in.

Kosman and city fire Chief Nicholas DeLia told West Pleasant Valley voters at last week’s meeting that the city and fire district have talked about consolidating before. “If the city picks us up, they may have to buy another garbage truck or hire more employees,” said Kosman, who now serves on the fire district’s board of directors. “They might need more police cars. I really don’t think that when the city looks at it, that they’re going to think it’s good deal. It may be for us, but it may not be for them.”

“The City of Groton is certainly not in the business of expanding its boundaries,” city Mayor Dennis Popp said Thursday. “The fire district might look at it from the economic side and think that for an extra mill and a half they can get all those other services, but that may not be true. If we provide all those services, it may increase our costs. They would have to prove to us that there is some economic benefit to the city for that to happen.”

New district President George DeVirgilio said he will consider appointing a committee to discuss the proposal with town and city officials after Archer reports back to the executive committee.

Kosman worried that town officials might oppose the idea because it would reduce the area served by the town highway and police departments.

“You might be talking getting rid of some jobs,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to touch it.” Since the town funds portions of the city’s highway and police budgets, those costs could rise for the town if the city took on more area.

Hauber, the town mayor, would neither endorse nor condemn the idea on Tuesday. “I applaud people for trying to do what’s best for the taxpayers,” she said.