Posted 9/19/01 Lent Township, Stacy begin to make progress in Joint Powers fire talks By Jason Sileo The mood is decidedly brighter among city of Stacy and Lent Township officials following a Joint Powers fire protection meeting Monday night where genuinely positive strides appear to have been made by the parties. Following a decision several months ago to dissolve the existing joint powers fire coverage agreement, both parties had been struggling to determine the best course of action for the good of the community. Friction between the two entities had been evident in recent weeks in the wake of a land purchase deal by Lent ó a property on which the township had planned to construct a new fire hall to serve area citizens. Stacy had made a key move, apparently to block that construction, in the form of a zoning ordinance amendment which could have kept Lent from building the new hall on property inside the cityís limits, and the situation began to take on an almost combative air leading up to Mondayís Joint Powers talks. For whatever reasons, the situation turned about 180 degrees Monday night... It now appears that the two will be working together to provide a new ëStacy-Lentí fire hall, probably under a brand new Joint Powers agreement, which would adequately serve citizens in both the township and the city for generations to come. ìWe have new hope,î Lent Township Chair Monica Abress said Tuesday morning. She said there is much work to be done at the Joint Powers negotiation table, but indicated both sides appear to be on the same page and willing to work together closely now for the common good. Stacy Mayor Kathi Lawrence said Mondayís talks had gone very well, and seemed quite optimistic regarding the Joint Powers future. ìI think things are really going to come together,î Lawrence said. ìI think things are going to be well thought through instead of, ëletís just get it done.í Itís not something weíre just diving into.î Lent had been moving forward on plans for a brand new fire hall to be constructed on a 21-acre plot of land inside the city limits but abutting Lent Township on two sides. Abress said the positioning of the site was as close to ideal as possible in terms of serving both the rural township as well as Stacy and the I-35 corridor. It now appears that Stacy will buy its way into the property and have a legitimate stake in its future, as well as that of the proposed fire hall. Abress said Joint Powers officials will also be crunching numbers and logistics to assess the feasibility for bringing Oxford Township in on the Joint Powers deal. The current Joint Powers agreement will not officially dissolve for about another year and a half, so that leaves the parties what should be ample, though essentially short time to get the details ironed out for a fresh Joint Powers agreement. ìThere was definitely a much greater comfort level when everyone left last night,î Abress said following the most recent round of talks. ©Post Review