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ity to upgrade their current equipment," he said. "Some equipment will be moved from the Groton Department to Bath as a short term measure until equipment can be upgraded."
• Only one resident of Bath Township expressed concern during the meeting in allowing the annexation. Dave Meyer, who lives in Jobee Acres, west and south of Bath, expressed concern with response times in the annexation went through. He stated the mileage from Groton vs the mileage from the Aberdeen Rural Fire Department. He stated that he wanted a guarantee that Groton would keep the Bath station open long term or split the district.
• "I want some sort of guarantee that the station will be open next year, the year after that, what's to stop Groton from closing the station after they annex it in? Meyer asked. "I propose that the township be split with half going to Aberdeen Rural Fire District." Meyer also noted that he is a member of the Aberdeen Rural Fire

Department
• Bob Osterman, President of the Groton Fire Board, responded to Meyers, stating that there were no guarantees.
• "We're agreeing to this as a way to help out the Bath Fire Department," Osterman said. "They approached us. We asked that in order to make this work, the Bath Fireman had to agree to continue under the direction of the Groton Fire Department. All of them said they would. As long as we continue to get volunteers and support from Bath, we will do what we can to keep the station open."
• Carol McFarland-Kutter also stood up and spoke to the commissioners. Her husband serves with the Groton Fire Department as one of the volunteer fireman and is a Captain under Bahr.
• "My husband and I have gone back and forth on this," McFarland-Kutter said. "This annexation means he will have to spend more time away from us, his family, and spend more time being in danger. But in the end, it is the right thing to do."
• Scott Meints, Brown County Emergency Management Director, was asked for his opinion by the commissioners. Meints stated that he had had a few concerns about the idea, but after hearing more at the meeting, he believes now that the move is good for Bath.