South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Mehlville Fire Protection District residents urged to attend second FACTS meeting

Mehlville Fire Protection District officials are encouraging residents to attend the second meeting of the district’s public engagement program that is scheduled next week.

The second meeting of the Fire District Advisory Committee for Tomorrow’s Emergency Services, or FACTS, will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 16, at the district’s headquarters, 11020 Mueller Road, Green Park.

The topic of Wednesday’s meeting will be “Equipment and Apparatus.”

Roughly 75 Mehlville Fire Protection District residents attended the first FACTS meeting, which took place May 26.

District officials were pleased with the turnout, terming the meeting an overwhelming success, David Gralike, who serves as secretary on the district’s Board of Directors, previously told the Call.

Also pleased with the turnout of the first meeting were the community co-chairs of a Facilitating Team — Gail Chatfield, a retired state fire marshal; Bill Cocos of Cocos Plumbing Co.; Judith Wideman, branch manager of Coldwell Banker Gundaker; and Dave Sinclair of Sinclair Ford in south county.

However, district officials and the community co-chairs are concerned that some residents did not attend the first FACTS meeting because of the severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that battered the area May 26. District officials and the community co-chairs are urging Mehlville residents to attend the second meeting even if they were unable to attend the first meeting.

Among the other Facilitating Team members are Gralike, who will serve as liaison to the board; Chief Ray Haddock; representatives of Local 1889 of the International Association of Fire Fighters; and other district employees and administrators.

FACTS is designed to involve residents in developing recommendations that will provide fire and emergency medical solutions to meet future needs for the entire community. The group will meet two to three times a month until August to study key issues, define the district’s needs and reach consensus on potential solutions.

At the end of the process, participants will present recommendations to the Board of Directors — Chairman Tom O’Driscoll, Treasurer Dan Ottoline Sr. and Gralike — for consideration.

Besides Wednesday’s meeting, future meetings and the topics that will be discussed include: June 30, staffing; July 14, facilities; July 17, a facilities tour; July 28, finances; Aug. 4, draft recommendations will be formulated; Aug. 11, the group will finalize and adopt recommendations; and Aug. 16, the final meeting with a presentation to the Board of Directors. All meetings will begin at 7 p.m. at the district’s headquarters on Mueller Road in Green Park.