Published: January 11, 2009 11:52 pm      

Firefighters push contract deadline

CENTRAL CITY — The Central City Volunteer Fire Company says it will stop providing service to its section of Shade Township on Thursday unless a contract is reached with the township.

Ironically, 65 percent of its firefighters reside in the township.

The township is drawing up a contingency plan to make sure residents are protected.

The fire company has scheduled a classified advertisement for today’s edition of The Tribune-Democrat informing residents of its decision.

The letter states that for the past three years, the fire company has tried to come to terms with the township and has asked the township to consider implementing a millage rate to be divided between the three fire companies that serve the township.

The other two fire companies are Hooversville and Stoystown.

The letter says the best offer from the township was a donation of $15,000. It says firefighters had reduced their request from $50,000 to $26,800.

John Topka, chairman of the township supervisors, said the township was notified about a week ago of the fire company’s decision.

The fire company wants a three-year contract with an increase each year, he said.

The township sent the fire company a contract at the end of December that includes $15,000 plus 60 percent of its foreign fire tax, which amounts to about $9,700. The township also pays $4,800 for its share of workers’ compensation for the firefighters, Topka said.

The township has given the fire company $354,000 since 1994 for its services.

“We have been quite generous to them over the years,” he said.

Hooversville and Stoystown have been asked to cover areas now served by Central City. Windber firefighters also may be asked to help.

Because the fire company has $111,000 in its savings accounts, Topka said he is reluctant to place a tax on residents for the additional money the fire company says it needs.

The township has asked for the fire company’s financial records to see how money is being spent.

A fire department spokesman said the $111,000 will be used to pay bills and is being saved for capital purchases that will be needed in the future.

The fire company has provided two years of financial records to the township, he said.

In 2006, the fire company had a deficit of $23,000. In 2007, there was a $20,000 surplus thanks to a federal grant that aided the company’s purchase of equipment.

Topka said the township is one of the most generous municipalities in the area when it comes to fire companies.

The increase the fire company wants means the township would be paying three times more than Central City does, he said.

The fire company spokesman said the reason for that is because 90 percent of its calls are in the township.

Topka said that’s a moot point because the fire company still has a surplus.