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Canton Township threatens to suspend fire department funding

By Katherine Mansfield staff Writer mansfield@observer-Reporter.Com 4 min read
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Canton has threatened to suspend funding for its volunteer fire department, according to a letter sent last month to firefighters.

In the Sept. 22 letter obtained by the Observer-Reporter, the township cited the fire company’s failure to adhere to a 2021 agreement “and other actions of the VFD” as reason for the suspension. The letter did not specify when funding would cease.

The letter, sent by township solicitor Dennis Makel, also states the township recently learned of “the possible closure of the VFD in December 2023.”

Neither township nor fire officials are commenting on the contents of the letter or the status of the department. Township fire Chief Chuck LaBella and Supervisors Richard Horner, Tom Bodnovich and Howard “Butch” Main did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Township manager Stephanie Pettit also declined comment, as did Makel, who said only, “We’re getting it worked out.”

The letter states that the fire company failed to host two annual fundraisers, and did not “provide any and all audits to the Township conducted by either the VFD or a third agency,” per the March 29, 2021, agreement.

The agreement, signed by Bodnovich, Main, then-township vice-chairman John Sheppard and Diane Gump, representing the fire department, requires the fire department to host and submit details for two fundraisers each calendar year to the township. The agreement also calls for the fire department to apply for state and national grants.

The agreement, approved at the December 2020 supervisors’ meeting, set pay per call at $15, a township contribution of $35,000 and property insurance on motor vehicles and buildings except the fire hall along Weirich Avenue, according to supervisors’ meeting minutes.

The agreement enclosed with the Sept. 22 letter sent to fire and rescue volunteers did not mention pay per call nor the total annual township contribution. It did, however, state that Canton Township provides “substantial contributions to the VFD on an annual basis” and wants to ensure that funding is “utilized in a cost efficient manner with oversight from the township.”

Pettit confirmed the township’s annual contribution to the fire department is $35,000, per the 2023 budget.

“The Township is taking these actions based upon the failure of CTVC to comply with the Agreement dated March 29, 2021, and other actions of VFD,” reads the letter, which did not specify when funding would cease.

In reference to “other actions,” the letter states the township recently learned the fire department “advised Washington County 911 that the VFD did not want Washington City or South Strabane Township called out to Fire and Rescue events” and was “not facilitating the use of Volunteer Fire Fighters.”

When contacted Tuesday, Gerald Coleman, director of public safety for Washington County, said to date, Canton Township Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company has not submitted any such request to the county regarding mutual aid.

“I don’t know anything about saying to the city or South Strabane not to respond with them,” Coleman said. “When we do make changes to run cards, we request those changes in writing so we have a paper trail for those things. … To my knowledge, I don’t believe any requests or any changes have been made to any run cards, to date, for Canton Township.”

Coleman said neither the township nor the fire department has communicated a funding suspension or possible fire company closure to residents.

“Public safety’s obviously important to me. I live in Canton Township. If a department’s fallen on hard times … I would hope that the residents would already know that (closure) is a possibility. If it’s true, hopefully it’s not, I would hope that the residents would at least get a little bit of a heads up, because that’s worrisome if a department’s closing up shop,” he said.

The next regular board of supervisors meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, at the township building at 1265 W. Chestnut St., Washington.

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