Woodward Supervisors Okay Fire Tax
By Scott Johnson
DUNNSTOWN – After about 90 minutes of discussion, the Woodward Township Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a 1-mill fire tax at a packed Dunnstown Fire Co. Tuesday night.
In addition, Supervisors Kyle Coleman, Wayne Love and John Barth unanimously agreed to advertise an amended 2020 budget to include the fire tax, and to start the process of selling the township’s sewer building along Oriole Road near the Triple-A building next month.
The township currently has a property tax of 2.5 mills, assessed on the value of the township’s 900 to 1,000 properties. It’s estimated the new tax will bring $135,000 to the township, with supervisors then allotting — as they see fit — funds per request from the fire company. Love said the township has been discussing a possible fire tax for the last two years. The issue became imminent as the fire company has inadequate operating funds and is facing a large expenditure in the short-term of replacing a 25-year-old fire truck that’s having mechanical issues.
Fire Chief Justin Baker estimated the “bare minimum” cost of a new truck is $600,000, plus nearly $60,000 to properly equip it. The option of renovating the vehicle is at least $500,000, he said.
Baker also said the cost to properly outfit an individual firefighter is about $16,019.The township donates $15,000 per year to the fire company and pays for its workers’ compensation insurance amid also allocating money from its Act 13 fund.
The first 45 minutes of the discussion came during the “Opening Comments” section of the meeting with mostly unidentified people saying while they support the fire company, they would like to instead have a flat tax. Further, they questioned if that money could then be used for other areas in the township.
”No one likes taxes, I don’t,” said one unidentified man. “I hear a lot of things about taxes, but I don’t hear of any solutions. You can’t keep on asking volunteers to come out and fight all fires without supporting them.” A few alternatives could be a flat tax instead of a property tax and start at a lower rate and increasing it if the need occurs, the man said.
The supervisors noted numerous times the township, under Second Class Township Code cannot impose a flat tax on properties. Further Coleman referenced numerous times a section that deals where fire tax monies can be appropriated: “(4) An annual tax not exceeding three mills to purchase and maintain fire apparatus and a suitable place to house fire apparatus, to make appropriations to fire companies located inside and outside the township, to make appropriations for the training of fire company personnel and for fire training schools or centers and to contract with adjacent municipal corporations or volunteer fire companies therein for fire protection. (i) The township may appropriate up to one-half, but not to exceed one mill, of the revenue generated from a tax under this clause for the purpose of paying salaries, benefits or other compensation of fire suppression employees of the township or a fire company serving the township.”
“Right now, we can’t have a flat-tax… And we can’t keep kicking the can down the road,” Love said. Further, Coleman said it’s “pretty much set in stone” that, under the Code, if the fire company requests money, it would come before a regular township supervisors meeting.
Some residents asked whether the fire tax could be used for compensation to the now-volunteer company. Township Solicitor Bob O’Conner said if the tax is 1 mill, half of that could be used for compensation, “but that’s not in the cards,” he said. “Count me out on that (paid firefighters),” Coleman quickly responded.
Some audience members noted there has been upcoming legislation being introduced in Harrisburg to help the state’s fire companies as the financial and volunteer efforts are becoming dire statewide. Coleman responded the purpose of the new tax is not to “stockpile a lot of money. ”If there is relief (from the state or federal governments), we can reduce the fire tax,” he said. “We’re not trying to punish the taxpayers… If we can reduce the taxes, we will.” Coleman added the fire company and township will continue to look for grants and conduct fundraising, noting it costs the fire company $60,000 annually in general operating costs of the fire hall.
“It’s been an emotional day with discussions going on back and forth with the township and fire company. We have done all of our homework on this,” he said. Discussion continued until a man said, “It’s already a done deal.” “It’s not a done deal until I hit my gavel,” Coleman responded. ”Then hit the gavel,” another man said.
After a few routine items were unanimously passed, Love moved to pass a 1 percent fire tax with Barth seconding. Coleman then said he had to first “get some things off of my chest,” noting later he has had difficulty sleeping the last couple of weeks over this issue.
He wanted to make sure that before the supervisors approve the fire tax they have done everything to ensure they don’t have money in its general fund first. He noted the township receives $24,000 annually, which is split between its fire and police departments and recreational committee. He asked if the money to the rec committee could be put on hold and money for the police department could be found in the general fund. Coleman added the fire hall could be used as an emergency services building for both the fire and police departments.
He then asked about the sewer department; specifically about its building along Oriole Road near the AAA building. “We have a sewer house we’re maintaining to receive sewer payments,” Coleman said. “We already do it at the township building. Why don’t we sell it and put it back on the tax rolls?… It’s only used by people four times a year… That house should be rid of. I want to exhaust everything possible. Why are we keeping that house?”
Coleman later surmised the buying of the house all stemmed out of disagreements with the township supervisors and sewer authority over a decade ago. “It’s a disgrace,” Coleman said. “They (sewer authority) thought they got screwed over by past supervisors and the sewer authority got mad and moved out. He noted in addition to the township building, sewer payments can be mailed in or phoned in with a credit card.
Everyone in the audience, regardless of their thoughts on the fire tax, said they agreed with that idea of selling the house. “Why it (selling the house) hasn’t happened before is because it makes too much sense… The sewer house has to go,” said one man.
”All I’m asking for is cooperation on the fire company’s end and the township’s end on the board with the fire tax,” Coleman said. “I just want reassurance we can work together.” He asked for his two colleagues specifically that they will seek to sell the sewer house in the next two months. Both Love and Barth gave him that assurance along with ensuring it will be on the agenda for their next monthly meeting. With that, the supervisors unanimously passed the fire tax.
Officials said the operating costs for the sewer building are between $400 and $500 monthly.
