SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - The president of Liberty Fire Company, Schuylkill Haven, said more of an effort should be made between Schuylkill Haven Borough and North Manheim Township relating to a fire protection agreement due to expire Dec. 31.
"It's just sad all of these elected officials can't make this happen," Mike Gossard said at Wednesday's borough council meeting.
The fire protection agreement between the borough, the township and four other municipalities - Orwigsburg, Landingville, Cressona and Pottsville - provides coverage to the township. What it provides coverage for has been in question, officials say. The township takes the stance it provides for fires in the township, solicitor Mark Semanchik said. Schuylkill Haven says it covers more than that.
Prior to the current 10-year agreement, compensation to responding municipalities was based on coverage area and property value. The current contract shares funds equally between all responders. The borough responds more than the other municipalities when emergency situations arise, borough Manager Scott Graver has said, and the borough contends it should receive a larger share of funding.
The council decided in September, not to renew the agreement citing such concerns as the township having its own fire department and length of contract extension, among other issues.
Township solicitor Thomas Lisella had also sent a letter requesting a one-year extension of the contract, according to The Republican-Herald archives.
Fire companies from the borough would not respond if needed if an agreement is not reached.
Gossard said people have been asking him why the borough fire companies will not go to the township.
"I'll be honest, I tell them straight out, we the fire department aren't asking for this. We didn't ask to be taken off the calls of North Manheim Township. We didn't ask to be removed. We didn't ask to sit in the station while something literally hundreds of feet outside the borough is on fire and we don't go," he said. He also said it's a disagreement between the borough and township and they need to rectify it.
Gossard said if the situation is not resolved, lives could be in danger.
"Nobody's going to look good in this. Nobody. Not Schuylkill Haven, not North Manheim Township, not the Schuylkill Haven Fire Department if something bad happens. Loss of life, major loss of properties. Something like that because it will make the national news. I guarantee you," he said. Semanchik thanked Gossard for attending but said there have been meetings about this issue.
Graver said the township has been well aware of the issue with the contract.
"They have been given due notice" of the issue for years, he said.
He went on to say that the township has made little effort.
"Their attempts have been futile if none," he said.
The fact that they offered the one year does not matter because the borough is not extending the contract, Graver said.
Graver said the other boroughs would be responsive to funding based on a percentage of calls.
Semanchik said he was at a meeting held Oct. 2 with John Matz, Schuylkill County Emergency Management director, Frank Zangari, president of the Schuylkill County Fire Chiefs Association, and Graver. He also said a meeting was also held Sept. 18 between Zangari, Matz, township secretary Barbara Miller and supervisor Wayne Bowen.
A meeting will be held today at 7 p.m. at Schuylkill Hose Company No. 2 to work out the disagreements.
Council President Marlin Berger Jr. said he would not attend the meeting and did not know about any other council members.
Graver said he might attend the meeting, as well as Semanchik. Schuylkill Haven Mayor Mike Devlin said he will attend.
"I think Schuylkill Haven and North Manheim Township will definitely come to an agreement by the end of the year. All three of our departments want to respond to these emergencies. I can't see anyone else filling in for them," Devlin said after the meeting.
Zangari said he and Matz will attend the meeting. Gossard said supervisors could attend the meeting.
In other news, the council voted to approve engineering, design and permitting for Entech Engineering for the sewer collection project. The borough sewer committee last month recommended the approval of the estimated $1.24 million sewer project to address issues with full pipes. Funding for the project will come from a prior bond issue. Donald Cuff, project manager for Entech, said the project could go out for bid next year with completion by the end of 2013.