Firemen speak out about new township building
PENNSDALE — Although the public was invited to a meeting held Thursday night by officers of the Pennsdale Volunteer Fire Co. it was primarily aimed at seeking the opinion of fire department members about the proposed offer made by the Muncy Township Board of Supervisors to the fire department concerning the township municipal building.
At the present time, township offices, including adminstrative and police, occupy space on the first floor. Over the last few months, the supervisors have been discussing reneovating the second floor of the building to house those offices. The move, however, would cut back on the area that is now used for fundraisers, such as the gun show, for the fire department. This could result in a loss of approximately $35,000 a year for the firefighters, according to Don Reese, the fire company’s treasurer.
On the other hand, if nothing is done to alleviate the burden of operating expenses for the fire company, Butch Dauberman, president of the fire company, said that there is a likelihood that the fire company would cease to exist.
“If we don’t get funding,” he warned, “this place will be done, fire companywise in three or four years. We’re down to right now, using savings account money because there is not enough coming in.”
Members of the fire company met earlier this week with township supervisors to try to formulate a plan for the building going forward.
According to Reese, the township offered to split operating costs for the building with the fire department and to also give them $47,000 a year toward those costs. They offered to set up a truck fund of $5,000 a year over a ten-year period. This would be controlled by the township. Costs associated with maintaining the building, such as a new roof, new plumbing and a new furnace, would be the responsibility of the township.
The current operating costs incurred by the fire company total around $65,000 a year athough that figure could be decreased because of the cost sharing with the township, Reese said. Only about $10,000 would need to be raised through fundraising, to meet current figures.
Dauberman emphasized that the fire company would continue fundraising even if they agree to the deal that the township is offering.
Everyone in attendance at the meeting agreed that the fire department needs to stay in the township, although a majority felt that the fire company officers need to go back to the township to see if the proposed offer could be increased.
In the end, one firefighter summed up the dilemma. “To keep the fire company going, you’re going to have to take the deal.”
Dauberman said that he and the other officers will schedule a meeting with the township and then set up another public meeting.
Some residents in attendance wanted to vent about the $1.8 million proposal the supervisors are considering for renovating the second floor, but Dauberman said that issue really needed to be addressed to the supervisors at their meeting.
In addition to their complaints about the cost of the remodel — they accused the supervisors of spending money like “drunken sailors”— the citizens questioned whether the township offices needed to occupy all of the second floor of the building.
One of the arguments that the township has made for moving their offices is that there is no way to totally secure their current facilities, particularly the police department. However, the residents said that they didn’t care if they had a part-time police force.
Again, Dauberman urged the group to attend the supervisors’ meeting to express their concerns, to which one citizen replied, “I don’t think they’re listening to us.”
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