The conversion of the Quaker Hill Fire Department to an all-volunteer unit was accomplished without notice to the community or the members of its department, seemingly under the cloak of pandemic restrictions on public gatherings.

It fell to the fire chief to notify residents by mail of the change, and invite them to a socially distanced meeting, but many notices were not delivered. They should have come from Waterford First Selectman Robert Brule, well before the cuts were carried out.

The town has repeatedly tried to withdraw support for the Quaker Hill fire service but faced active public objections (as when the Quaker Hill School was slated to be closed some years ago). Hence, the simple, covert approach.

Quaker Hill is far removed from virtually all services offered by the town and seems to rank very low on its priorities.

For another case in point, take a look at the stretch of Northwood Road alongside the Quaker Hill Baptist Church, with its massive accumulation of fallen leaves and branches. It has not been cleaned this year and probably not last year either.

I called Public Works midsummer to notify them that the street had not been swept, but nothing happened.

Janis Solomon

Quaker Hill