The appointment of five highly qualified Villagers to form a new Villages Fire/EMS Board finally puts our first class community on track to enjoy the first class Fire/Emergency Response service it wants and deserves.
Kudos go to District Manager Kenny Blocker, along with your VHA leadership led by Peter Russell, for their hard work in making all this possible. A special thanks go to three of our Sumter County Commissioners – Roberta Ulrich, Andy Bilardello and Don Wiley – who showed great leadership voting in favor of a well-qualified board of
Villages residents to lead the effort.
By appointing this initial Board, the Sumter County Board of Commissioner took a crucial step in establishing a procedure that will ultimately define Villages Fire and EMS service, create its budget and determine its funding source. The VHA is grateful that Villagers Stephen Bogle, Chris Christopolus, John Dean, Dr Kathleen Gowin and Dr Maryanne Scott have stepped forward in service. Together, they will guide a Fire/EMS service specifically designed for our unique community where the vast majority of calls are medical emergencies and fast response times are paramount.
It is encouraging to see our community come together and move forward to make our Villages lifestyle even better. Now is the perfect time to let everyone involved know you appreciate their efforts.
Rich Cole
The VHA Editorial Board