June 28, 1956

Your vote is needed on Monday

       The members of the Smith Valley Volunteer Fire Department have voted to form a new fire fighting unit which will be known as the White River Township Volunteer Fire Department.  This action is a result of what the members refer to as “growing pains.”  In attempting to operate as an integral part of the Smith Valley Community Center, under Community Center “Constitution and By-Laws”, the Fire Department is restricted to a degree which makes it impossible to grow as fast as is necessary to provide fast dependable fire fighting services to the community.  Essentially, major decisions requiring a majority vote by the Community Center membership is delayed excessively or is never decided upon.  In addition, the Fire Department is considered secondary to other Community Center activities and is left to shift for itself.  To correct this situation within the Community Center organization, it was allegedly necessary to dissolve the Smith Valley Community Center through legal proceedings and reorganize, omitting the Fire Department as one of its purposes.  However, this course is unnecessary, since you need merely to form a new fire fighting organization completely independent of the Smith Valley Community Center.

         At the last regular Smith Valley Community Center meeting, the members of the Fire Department requested “that the Smith Valley Volunteer Fire Department, in its entirety, be released for independent operation”.  It is assumed that this will be acted upon at the next general meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, July 2^nd, 7:30 p.m., at the Smith Valley Community Center.

         It is intended that the new organization will be a basis for fast growth; however, if the request is denied, the White River Township Volunteer Fire Department will lack the necessary funds to operate effectively, but will definitely continue to operate the Smith Valley Volunteer Fire Department as in the past.  Your presence and participation at the forthcoming meeting is requested by the members of the Fire Department and is essential to the safety of your home and others of the community.
 

                                                            Members of the Smith Valley Volunteer Fire
                                                            Department and White River Township
                                                            Volunteer Fire Department
    
 

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