WHITEMARSH TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SPECIAL MEETING PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 21, 2016

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1 WHITEMARSH TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SPECIAL MEETING PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 21, 2016 A Special Meeting of the Whitemarsh Township Board of Supervisors was held on Thursday, November 21, 2016 at 6:00 PM, in the Whitemarsh Township Building, 616 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA. Supervisors Present: Amy Grossman, Chair; Melissa S. Sterling, Vice Chair; Michael Drossner; James A. Totten and Laura Boyle Nester. Also present: Richard L. Mellor, Jr., Township Manager and Sean Kilkenny, Esquire, Township Solicitor PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BOARD PUBLIC DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Whitemarsh Township Fire Services Plan - Barren Hill Volunteer Fire Company and Spring Mill Fire Company Barren Hill Volunteer Fire Company, Chief Chris Schwartz and Spring Mill Fire Company, Chief Chris Heleniak made a presentation of the future of the fire services in the Township. Chief Heleniak spoke of the Objectives of the plan which are: to improve fire protection to the residents and businesses of Whitemarsh Township and to maintain fiscal responsibility in providing high level of fire service and protection for the community. Chief Schwartz stated the area currently covered by Lincoln Fire Company will be split between Spring Mill Fire Company and Barren Hill Fire Company. Both Chiefs explained the areas to be covered. Chief Schwartz stated response time will not be affected and in most cases improved with paid staff and available trained volunteers. He stated Spring Mill and Barren Hill adhere to the minimum staffing guidelines set forth by the Emergency Services Board (ESB) to have a total of 3 firefighters per Engine and 4 firefighters per Ladder Truck Both companies will have 1.5 paid staff to allow better response to the Township. Chief Heleniak stated the both fire companies have a full-time paid employee who works 8AM 4PM, Monday through Friday. He said Barren Hill has a part-time paid employee who works after-hours and weekend. Spring Mill also has a full-time employee and will add a part-time paid employee to mirror what Barren Hill has. Chief Schwartz stated the main things the plan is going to project is the use of Mutual Aid. He stated the closest responsible resource will be dispatched and arrive first based on mutual aid assignments. He stated in areas of Barren Hill s district they rely heavily on mutual aid. Chief Heleniak stated these include agreements with our adjacent fire companies of Harmonville, Plymouth, Conshohocken, Center Square, Wissahickon, Fort Washington and Flourtown Fire Companies to arrive first if they are the closest company until Spring Mill or

2 Barren Hill arrive on scene. Mutual Aid response will include the resources around the boundaries of the Township. Chief Schwartz stated in 2009 the Whitemarsh Township Emergency Services Board adopted Standard Operating Guidelines one of which is minimum staffing on apparatus. Spring Mill and Barren Hill adhere to the minimum staffing guidelines set forth by the Emergency Services Board (ESB) to have a total of 3 firefighters per Engine and 4 firefighters per Ladder Truck. Both Companies routinely have on average 9-10 trained and certified firefighters responding to fire calls. Chief Schwartz explained 93% of Barren Hill and Spring Mill members are trained to the Firefighter I level. Both fire companies maintain NIMS Certifications in accordance with Emergency Services Standard operating procedures and adhere to clearly defined standards for all levels of firefighters in the company. He explained that means that a Junior Firefighter at 16, will not be put in a situation that is dangerous is them. Chief Heleniak stated the amount of certifications his members held. Chief Schwartz stated years ago the fire companies sat down and decided the specialties the individual fire companies would maintain. He stated Barren Hill Fire Company will maintain Technical Rescue Equipment. Chief Heleniak stated Spring Mill Fire Company, due to the proximity of the Schuylkill River will continue to maintain Water Rescue Equipment and certified personnel. Barren Hill will maintain certified personnel to assist Spring Mill. Chief Schwartz stated both companies will maintain standard fire suppression capabilities and rescue resources to maintain their first due response districts. Both will maintain appropriate vehicle rescue equipment within each Company. Future purchase of equipment and apparatus will be reviewed by the Emergency Services Board (ESB) to avoid duplication of equipment. Chief Heleniak stated both companies will continue to participate in community events and will jointly participate in the Township newsletters and social media outreach to promote Volunteering and fire company's activities. Chief Schwartz stated there is a recent mandate from the state requiring those involved with children to be cleared both through the Child Abuse Clearance and Criminal History Check. Both Chiefs stated their fire companies will continue to require that all new members submit a child abuse clearance and criminal history clearance prior to admittance into each fire company. Barren Hill and Spring Mill will continue to require existing members to submit to a child abuse clearance and criminal history clearance every five (5) years. Mr. Mellor spoke to the Financial Aspects of the new Fire Service Plan. He stated the balance of the Fire Tax that would be remaining, Spring Mill and Barren Hill would continue to maintain their disbursement of funds. Moving forward the remaining balance of funds will be put into a Capital Fire Account for future purchases of equipment and apparatus. Requests for funds will be reviewed by the Emergency Services Board for recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Mellor stated if this moves forward there is a significant amount of apparatus and equipment in Lincoln Fire Company. He stated that is not under the control of the Township, it is Lincoln s property. He stated Lincoln has in their By-Laws a dissolution clause that they would have to adhere to in terms of how they would appropriately to sell or dispose of that equipment. He continued stating as far as the property, the property is not owned by the Township. It too belongs to Lincoln Fire Company and their members. 2

3 Mr. Mellor spoke about the process moving forward. He stated this evening the Board of Supervisors will consider advertisement of an Ordinance. Board of Supervisors would consider adoption of the ordinance and plan at the December 1, 2016 meeting. Improved Fire service arrangement would take effect immediately following Board's decision Chief Schwartz concluded his remarks stating he believed the Whitemarsh Fire Service is at a crossroad. He said this is a collaborative effort by all of the Emergency Services in Whitemarsh that have researched and developed a plan for the Fire Services moving forward. He said he encourages each of the Board of Supervisors to consider this difficult decision not based on emotions but rather based on statistics and facts and what is most fiscally responsible for the Fire Services moving forward. Chief Heleniak said on behalf of Spring Mill Fire Company the members stand in support of the Township Supervisors and the difficult decision they must make for the future of the Fire Service in Whitemarsh Township. Whitemarsh Township Fire Marshal, Scott Lynch stated as the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator, I have a vested interest in each Emergency Service. He said he is also charged to ensure that all Township residents and businesses are protected equally. He continued, as you have seen in the presentation, the plan will improve Fire Protection for the residents and businesses of the Township. He continued, based on the statistics that have been provided, the residents serviced by the Lincoln Fire Company will be better protected by the program presented tonight from the Barren Hill Fire Company and Spring Mill Fire Company. John Lukens, Chair of the Emergency Services Board, stated he has belonged to all three fire companies, was a former Whitemarsh Police Officer and also involved with Whitemarsh Ambulance. He said it is a difficult decision to be made. He said the unfortunate fact is that Lincoln, while they have a proud history, Lincoln Fire Company has tried to re-invent itself many times. He gave a brief history of the attempts. He stated he would render an opinion, as difficult as it is and the decision was not something that was taken lightly, he said it is the time and it is the place to make the decision. He asked that the Board of Supervisors adopt the ordinance. Public Comment on the Public Discussion Jeff Fisher, Secretary of Lincoln Fire Company, he stated he is no longer a resident of Whitemarsh Township. He stated they were not involved in the discussions of the new plan. He spoke about the resident letters that were sent by Township and the petition some residents had signed. Pat Fritz, former resident of Whitemarsh Township, spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Hattie McIntosh, Birch Drive, spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Mary Mabry, Spring Mill Road, spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Jim Herzog, Roberts Avenue, asked for a copy of the Fitch Report being referenced. Mr. Mellor told him he Township would post it on the website. Joe Fritz, no longer a resident of Whitemarsh Township, spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. 3

4 Eileen Noll, Spring Mill Road, spoke about the letter sent to residents, the Fire Company rescue squad who saved her husband and against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Maxine Bikings, former Lincoln Firefighter and EMT, spoke about mutual aid and against the closing. Karen Fondots, Roberts Avenue, spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Susannah Conicello, Roberts Avenue, spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Kevin Ames, President of Lincoln Fire Company, spoke of the previous issues of the fire company and against the closing. Barbara Lynch, Roberts Avenue, spoke of the Township Fire Budget and against the closing. John Lukens, Chair ESB, said he wanted to dispel some rumors. He provided the statistics for fire calls for 2016 and spoke about the lack of manpower on the trucks. Rob Ames, spoke about local fire companies and their rebuilding processes over the years. He spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Kyle Blunden, Pilgrim Road, spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Evan Blunder, Pilgrim Road, spoke about his family history in Lincoln Fire Company. He spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Mark O Neil, member of Lincoln Fire Company, spoke against the closing of Lincoln Fire Company. Chair Grossman thanked all of the firefighters for their work in the community, for the protection they provide and the hours they put forth do this job. She spoke about the process the Supervisors undertook to get this point. She thanked all those who came out to speak. Supervisor Drossner stated he sees this as a rebuilding of the fire service. He spoke about the Fitch report and how, when he read it, he realized closing Lincoln had been discussed previously. He spoke about the attempts for the mergers with other fire companies that didn t come to fruition. Chair Grossman stated the Board of Supervisors recognizes the deep history Lincoln Fire Company has in the community. She said it is one that needs to be protected and saved. She said the Board and the Township would like to work with Lincoln moving forward, to protect the history. Steve Ames, life member of Lincoln Fire Company, asked how these changes will affect the Whitemarsh Relief Association. Mr. Mellor stated the Relief Association is not under the Township, the decisions would be by the Association itself. CONSIDER ACTION ITEMS Ordinances Resolutions 4

5 Motions 1. Ordinance Advertisement - New Fire Services Plan On a motion by Supervisor Nester, second by Supervisor Sterling (Vote 5-0) the Board of Supervisors authorized the advertisement of the Ordinance for the New Fire Services Plan. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS ADJOURNMENT On a motion by Supervisor Drossner, seconded by Supervisor Nester, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Richard L. Mellor, Jr. Township Manager 5