WILKES-BARRE -- As far as Mayor Tom Leighton is concerned, the firefighting situation is settled, at least for the next five years.
There will not be a fire station in the Heights.
There will not be a staffing increase in the fire department, although attrition and retirements could make new hires necessary.
And, there will be a new fire station, located at Hollenback Park. Leighton said the station will be built within 12 months and replace the closed Conyngham Avenue station and the Scott Street station, slated to close once the new facility is up and running. Hollenback Park, the Ross Street headquarters, and the station at Parrish and High streets will be the citys only fire stations.
There will be new fire trucks and ambulances for the department.
Pressed by city council and Heights activists to present his plan for firefighting in the future, Leighton did just that during a press conference Wednesday. He pointed out that the fire department is the citys biggest expenditure and will cost about $50 million during the next five years, mostly in salary, benefits and pension contributions.
The latest news was a commitment by Leighton to buy three new fire engines and two new ambulances, replacing aging equipment that the mayor said is endangering employees and residents.
Fire Chief Jacob Lisman pronounced himself very comfortable with the plan and lauded Leighton for his commitment to new equipment.
But neither the activists nor the council members who demanded the plan during a council meeting last month were happy with what they received. And some say the fight for a fire station in the Heights is not over.
Were still going to keep it up, said Denise Carey, who has led residents in their fight for a reopened station. The Heights station was closed temporarily about seven months ago and permanently Wednesday.
Im not surprised, but we will not stop, Carey said. We have another town meeting planned for June 17 and weve talked about picketing Leightons house, so I guess well have to do that.
Carey also said she and others are putting together petitions for a referendum that would change the citys system of government from strong mayor to strong council and said, Thats the only way well get change, is to take all this power out of the hands of one person.
For such a referendum to reach the ballot, 975 people (equal to 10 percent of the city voters in the last gubernatorial election) would have to sign petitions demanding it.
Carey has confronted Leighton and Lisman about emergency response times in the Heights, but Leighton came armed with an ABC News report showing that only 35 percent of the nations fire departments are meeting an industry goal of six minutes for 90 percent of their calls, and said this department is meeting that standard.
Councilman Jim McCarthy, who has argued vehemently that the station should be reopened, said, Im disappointed, but there is nothing really that can be done. The mayor does have the power in this situation, and we have to do as he says.
Councilwoman Kathy Kane said she wont give up as easily, and pointed out that council could refuse to approve Leightons 2006 budget if he does not include funding for the Heights in it.
Council Chairwoman Shirley Vitanovec, though, said, This has always been a situation where the money is lacking, not just the money to fix the fire station but the money to staff it and the money to put apparatus in it. This is just a case where Mr. Leighton has been forced to make a tough decision, but Ive never seen that he has another option.
Distributed by the Associated Press
