PENNSDALE – The lack of movement in cleaning up the Muncy township Fire Department headquarters that were left contaminated when a sewer backed up earlier this year is causing panic in township residents because the fire department is moving its equipment to Muncy Creek Township until the issue is resolved.

The holdup is from the refusal of Muncy Township supervisors to sign the papers to file an insurance claim, which board chair Terri Lauchle said they will not do at this time, if ever, because she argues it’s the tenant’s responsibility. The fire department said that the supervisors have to give the okay for ServPro to begin the cleanup because it’s their building. They also said that they will pay the deductible on the township’s insurance and any other costs not covered by insurance.

Residents at this month’s meeting spoke about their concerns of having the fire department move to another municipality, farther from them.

“When you took your oath of office, what did you say you would do if you would protect the township now with the health, safety, and welfare of the townships and the township people. Do you feel protected,” township resident Barb Reese asked the people in the audience.

“My husband was ill for many years. This ambulance service served him very well. I’m not sure that the time coming from Muncy would not have been enough time to save his life, and I am concerned for our safety, our welfare, and our health. You are not looking at those things,” she told the supervisors.

Still, Lauchle will not budge and fellow supervisor Denise Artley is following suit, even though she had voted to allow ServPro to come in at last month’s meeting only to rescind that vote this month. Her reasoning was that she had voted during public comment which was invalid.

Fire Department members were visibly frustrated at the meeting as it dragged on.

Now the issue has moved into the legal realm as the fire department still tries to persuade the township to mitigate the damage to the first floor which inspectors said contains bacteria which has moved into the walls.

Nate Palmatier, president of the Fireman’s Association, said that the department had met with an attorney and representatives from ServPro, which will do the cleanup once they’re given the okay from the township. But that is the sticking point.

“All we need her (Board Chair Terri Lauchle) to do is sign the paper so ServPro can come in and clean,” Palmatier said.

Her argument is that by signing the paper, it would mean that the township would be liable for the costs, which she argues are the responsibility of the tenant – the fire department.

Lauchle went so far as to get the lease agreement to prove her point, although it would take an attorney to clarify what was in the agreement.

But the residents don’t care about the lease, they care about having a fire company that can quickly respond to fires and other emergencies.

As one resident put it, “I don’t want to worry that our ambulance can’t get to my house because they’re far away.”