Why did this mayor wait until the bitter end to present a plan to the council that is supposed to insure the safety of citizens in this community? Why have any of this town's administrations waited so long, at this point until the eleventh hour, to solve this crucial problem?
     An excerpt from minutes of a Board of Commissioners meeting states, "Chief Romines reminded the Board that the Town of Eatonville has been talked to about this problem since 2001 and has chosen to do nothing to formulate a plan or solution. Romines is Fire Chief of Graham Fire & Rescue, and the "problem" he discussed was the deadline for the town to come up with a solution to the other districts withdrawing ALS service to Eatonville. Read more of the excerpted minutes concerning Eatonville and Advanced Life Support District 15 Minutes A
     In January the town received letters from Fire Districts 15 and 21 alerting Eatonville that this vital service would no longer be available as of April 1. District 15 Fire Chief Bob Vellias said the original cut off date was the end of February. However, when he gave Eatonville Fire Chief Josh Wickander the documents Wickander asked for another month, which Vellias granted. Along with the letters was a contract for services.
     Later Mayor Smallwood asked for another month extension, but this time the other districts held firm and ALS service to Eatonville residents is now gone. Basically the other district's taxpayers have been subsidizing Eatonville's advanced life support and this was deemed unfair by everyone involved.

     In February the town safety committee met to discuss this dire situation. At that time Committee Member Bud Lucas, who had not yet been hired as a consultant, tried to keep the focus on ALS as that was the priority. He pointed out that if Eatonville signed the contract it would give the town a year to organize ALS. The subject of the contract was discussed at great length. Language in the contract made it appear that District 15 would get rid of Eatonville volunteers and close the fire station.
      Lucas said he didn't believe that was the intention and that someone should go to District 15 and negotiate the contract. The committee choose Mayor Smallwood to enter negotiations at once. He said he would contact District 15 the next day. Yet he did not attempt to negotiate the contract.
      Chief Vellias told ENN that if he a day to live over it would be the day he gave the contract to two town officials. Vellias explained that he would have presented the documents formally during a council meeting so everyone present would have seen the contract, and been able to question some of the language which
was not carved in stone.
     Vellias said he had no intention of closing the fire department or getting rid of volunteers. But it seemed no one was willing to believe this as it seemed their minds were set on the notion of closing Eatonville's service. The sticking point could have opened a dialogue which could have resulted in an acceptable contract for a year. But it wasn't done. Instead, word spread that District 15 wanted "kill" Eatonville's volunteer fire department and that "killed" the deal since.