{"id":18895,"date":"2018-01-22T15:10:14","date_gmt":"2018-01-22T21:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/?p=18895"},"modified":"2018-01-22T15:10:14","modified_gmt":"2018-01-22T21:10:14","slug":"hazelwood-addresses-concerns-about-contract-with-robertson-fire-district","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=18895","title":{"rendered":"Hazelwood Addresses Concerns About Contract with Robertson Fire District"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"hazelwood<\/a>The City of Hazelwood City Council met Jan. 17 and first welcomed new employees along with recognizing outgoing employees. The council then approved ordinances for redevelopment of the Phillips 66 station at the corner of Lindbergh and Elm Grove; a bible study college; and a new contract for ambulance billing services.<\/p>\n

After a lengthy attempt by the Hazelwood City Council to negotiate in good faith with the Robertson Fire Protection District (RFPD) to amend the contract between both parties or to merge fire services to relieve the city of an unsustainable financial burden, the Council voted to terminate its contract with the RFPD.<\/p>\n

Effective Jan. 1, 2019, the city\u2019s fire depart\"hazelwood<\/a>ment will be providing fire and EMS services to residents living in the area once served by the RFPD.<\/p>\n

According to Mayor Robinson, \u201cThe City of Hazelwood has a duty to all its citizens and property owners to provide a full range of quality municipal services on a cost-effective basis. But this problem with RFPD has created a financial crisis which looms over the people who live and work in Hazelwood because vital city services and the city\u2019s solvency are being put at risk by the excessive and unnecessary fees which the city is required to pay RFPD every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hazelwood City Council intends to follow through with terminating the contract with RFPD. But Mayor Robinson gave a legislative report during last night\u2019s City Council meeting that outlines ways the city can work with state legislators in developing bills to reinforce their efforts and provide other avenues for fixing a broken system.<\/p>\n

Here is the five-pronged approach he proposed as a course of action:<\/p>\n