Published: November 25, 2008 09:06 am            

A struggle to survive | Firefighters, supervisors at odds on funding

The locales change but the story line doesn’t.

How often we’ve heard it: A financially struggling volunteer fire company versus a cash-strapped municipality.

In this case, the players are the Central City Volunteer Fire Company and Shade Township supervisors. They are at odds over a fire protection agreement. Without a pact, residents could be without service come Jan. 1.

That would also translate into skyrocketing insurance rates on their homes and furnishings.

Here’s the essence of the dispute, said to be ongoing for about two years and laundered last week at a meeting of more than 75 residents and firefighters at Shade High School:

The fire department is seeking a tax increase to help fund its operations. The supervisors are resisting.

“I’m not happy it came to this,” fire Chief Dale Russian said. “We want you people to know there has been no movement on this. We need you to voice your concerns (to the supervisors).”

Firefighters had asked for about $60,000 to help pay for rising costs of equipment and training.

Supervisors have said they consider the request to be excessive. This year, the township gave $15,000 to the fire department.

Under state law, municipalities can raise taxes up to 3 mills to fund fire departments. Any higher millage must be approved by the voters.

Obviously, no one has quick or easy answers. Fire companies increasingly are facing money and manpower shortages. It’s a constant struggle for them to provide their wonderful services.

Fire protection is a legitimate budget item for municipalities. Today’s volunteer fire companies cannot exist on fundraisers as they once did. Tax dollars are needed.

Without volunteer fire companies, communities would have to hire paid firefighters, and that would come at a much higher cost.

On the other hand, fire companies must take the initiative to share services and to merge with other, nearby companies, thus holding down costs and eliminating duplication of equipment.

What can’t happen, though, is for residents of Shade Township to lose the services of a fire company, or other emergency responders for that matter.

Calling a town meeting was a good move by the firefighters. It shows a willingness to keep the lines of communication open between the township and fire company until this problem is solved.

        

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