SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Discussion got a little heated at Wednesday's borough council meeting over the fire protection agreement between the borough and North Manheim Township.
Mike Gossard, president of the borough's Liberty Fire Company, said the fire department would suffer if an agreement is not reached. There might be fewer volunteers, the departments would lose experience fighting fires if they did not respond, money would be lost by not soliciting donations from those in the township and other revenue lost by not responding to calls.
"I think we have a case where you're cutting your noses off to spite your faces," Gossard said to the council about not having an agreement.
The current 10-year agreement automatically renews unless a responding municipality decides to opt out. It is set to expire Dec. 31.
The borough said it has given sufficient notice it is not interested in extending the current agreement. The borough responds to a large percentage of calls in the township. Fire companies from six municipalities are a party to the current agreement.
Officials from North Manheim Township and the borough and others involved met Nov. 8 to discuss ways to work out an agreement.
Borough solicitor Mark Semanchik responded to Gossard by saying the borough had a responsibility to the residents.
"What you don't seem to appreciate, and maybe it's because you're not a taxpayer of Schuylkill Haven, but there are other expenses that the taxpayers of Schuylkill Haven incur the cost for to support the fire company," Semanchik said.
Workers' compensation is one of them, he said.
Gossard said the experience gained from fighting fires is invaluable.
"The only good thing about a fire or a crash or some emergency response is this: That the response and us going out there and doing the job makes us just a little bit better. We learn just a little bit more, so the next one we have we're just a little bit better prepared than the one before."
Semanchik responded by saying, "I've heard similar comments like that in the defense of an arsonist when asked why did he do it. He acts as a firemen in a fire company ..."
He agreed the service the fire company provides is important.
Borough Manager Scott Graver said the council was being unfairly targeted.
"You're beating up on this borough council and the representatives for the taxpayers. For 10 years we have been in an agreement that has handicapped the borough in finances when our finances, our expenses have gone up," he said.
Councilman Tom Gordon said the council is working hard to come to an agreement on a contract. The council met in an executive session about the contract before the meeting.
"We are working as hard as we can to get the contract," he said.
Graver said he believes a contract will be in place by the end of the year.
The township also is not without blame in this, Gossard said.
Graver said he will send a response to a Nov. 21 letter from township solicitor Thomas Lisella outlining points for a possible agreement today to Lisella and the township board of supervisors.
