Finance Committee Votes to Reopen Fire Station

By Odette Yousef

Atlanta, GA – Yesterday it was standing-room only at the Finance Committee meeting of Atlanta's City Council. Residents of the City's West End showed up in force to lobby for the reopening of their neighborhood fire station - Station Number 7.

Practically speaking, the public showing didn't mean much. Finance Committee members had already indicated early in the meeting that they would approve the ordinance to reopen the station.

Still, West End resident Jerry Jackson felt compelled to speak:

JACKSON: The history of Fire Station Number 7 saving lives is historic. We need this station back.

Richard Dent, Manager of the Mall at West End Shopping Center, used economic arguments:

DENT: major businesses want to know, where is the fire station? Our insurance company wants to know, how close is the fire station? So that affects our rates.

The ordinance pulls $1.1 million to reopen the station from the consulting and supplies budgets of several other city departments.

Mayor Shirley Franklin closed the fire station two weeks ago, saying she had no choice after the council refused to increase taxes. Her chief of staff indicated yesterday that she would not favor the new ordinance, should the full council pass it on August 18th.