CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Chambersburg Borough Council voted to approve a resolution to temporarily postpone the proposed elimination of eight firefighters from the Chambersburg Fire Department on Monday.
Upon the suggestion of Borough Solicitor Bryan Salzmann, who was absent, but sent a memorandum dated June 25 stating the borough is still a "finalist" for the $2 million SAFER grant from the Federal Department of Homeland Security.
"At this point, while we have not received confirmation of any approval of our applications, our application has yet to be denied," Salzmann wrote. "To the contrary, we have actually received what we perceive as hopeful indications along the way."
Salzmann suggested they "temporarily refrain" from exercising a directive from Borough Manager Jeffrey Stonehill to layoff the firefighters on July 1 and wait until confirmation of their grant status or further direction from council.
The resolution includes the temporary postponement of the firefighter cuts and also appoints Stonehill as the Chief Financial Officer to find temporary funding to maintain the department's current levels.
In the memorandum, Salzmann offered to report back at the July 23 meeting.
Two audience members -- Amanda Owens and Harold Nunemaker -- questioned the borough's budget as well as the support they've given to volunteers, who would assist the department when or if cuts are made.
"It burned once," Owens said. "We should learn from our past as to not make the same mistakes."
Councilor Andrew Paszcowski asked what the borough does to support the volunteer fire departments that assist the Chambersburg Fire Department. The borough does pay for workers compensation for all volunteer companies that respond in the borough, they help with fuel costs for the Franklin Fire Company as well as provide buildings for the three small companies, Stonehill said.
The borough's fire, police, recreation and highway departments are funded from the General Fund, said Council President William McLaughlin.
"We're talking about things that are substantially funded by taxes," he said. "The cost of operating each police department and the fire department, either one of those departments alone, greatly exceeds the amount of money that comes into the borough through property taxes."
Emergency Services Chief William FitzGerald has been working to cut back supplies and decommission apparatus, including the sale of an ambulance for $8,800, which also saves $51,714 a year in rental fees.
The department is currently made up of the chief and deputy chief, 18 firefighters and three captains, which work 24-hour shifts with 48 hours off. There are five firefighters per shift with a mandatory minimum of five each shift and one ambulance in service.
The Change in Focus Plan would have made the following changes:
- Eliminate the deputy chief position.
- Downsize to eight firefighters and five captains
- Work 12-hour shifts similar to police department.
- Have five firefighters on hand during daylight shift (a minimum of four) and two during overnight shift.
- Two ambulances in service.
Adopting this plan for the last six months of 2012 would have saved $315,186 from the budget but only with the help of volunteer fire companies.
Copyright 2012 - Public Opinion, Chambersburg, Pa.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
