BERLIN, Md. - The Town of Berlin and their Fire company are taking steps to mend their strained relationship.
Wednesday, WMDT spoke with Mayor Gee Williams, who tells us that beginning in January, the two parties are working on mediation. You'll recall, over the last several months there have been issues stemming from reports of harassment within the Berlin Fire Company, which ultimately resulted in the town pulling their reported $600,000 per year of funding. It is reminded that town financial support is not an obligation of the law. We're told both sides are being represented by attorney's who will work on the mediation process to "keep things on a professional level, not personal," said Williams.
The process is not expected to happen overnight, but we're told the first steps have been taken. The town has requested financial statements to determine how much money the Fire Company has spent over the past few years, budgeting, and their long term obligations. According to Mayor Williams, this is the same type of information the town would need to submit when seeking a grant. The town has received confirmation from the Fire Company's attorney that those documents are forthcoming.