A taxpayer-funded study on possibly consolidating four central Macomb County fire departments into a single one provides a wealth of information, but some leaders predict it won’t gain much support.
Officials are still poring over details of the exhaustive 258-page study for the Clinton Township, Harrison Township, Mount Clemens and Sterling Heights fire department and no decisions are in the immediate future.
But a number of obstacles, most notably how to fund consolidation -- when some communities are still financially struggling -- makes it seem unlikely the study will become a reality.
“From a standpoint that it got people to the table, the study was worth it,” said Mount Clemens Mayor Barb Dempsey. “But without a county-wide plan, I just don’t see this happening. It’s a study that will end up sitting on a shelf.”