To the editor:

I am writing to express my opposition to the actions of the city of Suffolk in regards to the Nansemond-Suffolk Volunteer Rescue Squad. It is my hope that those who make the decisions at the city will come to their senses and rethink their decision.

The Nansemond-Suffolk Volunteer Rescue Squad has faithfully served the citizens of Suffolk for some 53 years. Treating them in such an arbitrary and rude manner sends a negative message to all other volunteer groups that operate in the city.

Government goes to great lengths to emphasize volunteerism in our community. Volunteerism gives those who serve a sense of satisfaction, and citizens are provided a first-rate service at little or no cost to taxpayers. Are other groups that serve the city in this fashion soon going to be on the hit list of the city manager and her staff while City Council, with the exception of two members, does nothing?

Those who are pursuing this new policy need to give some reasons and explanations about the deficiencies of the rescue squad in order to justify this action.

There must be another way out of this mess the city has chosen to blunder into. Perhaps there could be a meeting in which any of the rescue squad’s deficiencies could be noted, and then the rescue squad given a fair chance to correct them. If the deficiencies can’t be corrected, then they city would be justified in taking the action to have the rescue squad go to secondary status.

Rest assured, should this action be carried out, I will be watching my councilman’s position on this issue. His position will go a very long way to helping me decide whether he should be reelected.

Support the rescue squad or I’ll be supporting someone else.

Joseph Questore

Suffolk