November 28th, 2010

Auburn Local 797 Unite with the MDA

Auburn’s Local 797 has once again met resistance from the City Council but this time it has nothing to do with manpower issues, safety concerns, or new equipment but about firefighter’s donating their own person time collecting money for a worthy cause.  Since 2004, the Auburn Firefighter’s have been going out into the public to collect money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).  For the past two years they have met off-duty to collect money at the Longley Bridge, Main Street and Court Street intersections.  Last year alone they were able to raise approximately $5,400 at that location. During the collection of 2010 the city told them to end their collection early even though they had a permit.  Since the City Manager and certain City Council members did not like what the off-duty firefighters were doing with their own time, they told them that they must end the collection.  The city manager wrote an article in his “weekly review” that had some false information.  Here are the articles with the correct information and proof that the Auburn Local 797 Firefighter’s have done everything the city wanted and more but were still shut down during their collection.

 Weekly Review

Weekly Review Rebuttal

Auburn Ordinance

Maine State Ordinance

"Special Event" Permit #1

"Special Event" Permit #2