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Oct. 01--An annual financial report has some Banks Township officials at odds with the township's all-volunteer fire company.
Tresckow Volunteer Fire Company Chief Rick Sparks said despite claims made by the supervisors, he promptly complied with a request to submit the company's annual financial report to the township. According to Pennsylvania's Second-Class Township Code, the report is needed before any township funds can be released to the fire company.
The dispute came to light after the Standard-Speaker published a letter to the editor from township Supervisor Walter Bobowski and supervisor candidate Theresa Shott.
Supervisors Chairman Nick Petrole said the report was requested from the fire company in May but wasn't received until June. He could not provide exact dates.
Sparks said he doesn't know why it took that long for the supervisors to receive a copy of the report, which was completed and available at the fire company social room.
Petrole said the report was incomplete because the fire company did not list revenue from its social hall and bar.
Charles Schalles, board of supervisors secretary, confirmed Petrole's claims about the financial report, agreeing that it was incomplete.
Bobowski said he never saw the report from the fire company, though Petrole said it was possible that the board received it during a meeting from which Bobowski was absent.
The report is important because it shows whether the company is capable of paying off any loan secured through the township, Petrole said.
Banks Township gives the fire company $4,300 annually from the local services tax to help with operating expenses.
Petrole said thanks to Suburban Mutual Aid, firefighters aside from those with Tresckow Volunteer Fire Company can help cover Tresckow and other small towns in Banks Township. For instance, McAdoo or Beaver Meadows fire companies could provide a tanker if one is needed to fight a fire in Banks, according to Petrole.
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