Thank you for providing pre-town meeting stories that encourage us to attend and to vote. Friday’s preview of the Orland Town Meeting, however, needs some clarification since the only point of view presented was that of a selectman who is opposed to the Orland Volunteer Fire Department’s budget request.

A requested increase in the OFD budget (the first increase of any kind for several years) does not represent a “salary” for the fire chief but rather an increase in the chief’s stipend. For more than 10 years, the department budget has included $800 for the chief . As state and federal regulations have increased, the amount of administrative time a fire chief adds to other duties has grown significantly. Past OFD Chief Chris Farley calculated he worked 15-20 hours a week for the department, not counting actual response time. Other officers and the department treasurer also contribute a large number of unpaid hours.

No Orland firefighter or support member is paid for training, response or maintenance and project time (except forest fires as required by an unfunded state mandate.) We are truly volunteers. In 2000 OFD responded to 81 calls; in 2001, 106 calls. In 2002, OFD members responded to 120 calls and contributed more than 3,200 volunteer hours.

I urge Orland voters to attend town meeting March 25 and talk with OFD members about beginning to compensate the fire chief.

Sharon Bray

Orland