Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Peter Lupkowski on August 8, 2007 at 12:52pm

It's never bad to get your word out to others but I would be concerned about who is advising whom. Is it a township committee advising the supervisors or arethey looking for oversight of your fire department?

We answer to a public safety committee that oversees the fire, police, and EMA, but generally unless it's budget time they don't have any meetings with us. We use them for a conduit to the council as a whole. They can be very supportive when push comes to shove in sharing reduced tax revenue.

My suggestion is to make some off the record inquiries about who is setting up and why are they setting up the advisory committee. You can learn a lot in a relaxed atmosphere.

Anything else, just ask.

Permalink Reply by Jolene Connelly on August 8, 2007 at 2:01pm

Supposedly, (and I use that term loosely) the duties are according to the proposal for the committee...

1. assemble information (ex. projections of equipment needs, staff training, etc.)

We already have this information....

2. address regionalization issues and concerns

This is a state thing that is in the works.

3. consider financial implications of various options

We do this at our monthly membership meetings

Ultimately, it is my feeling that the company disapproves and we look at it as the township trying to take over and make decisions when we have a perfectly good governing body that already does these things.

Also, why do we need to spend more time away from our families volunteering on another committee when we already have a liason to the township supervisors (our liason IS one of the supervisors.) We communicate our needs and current events at every township meeting and have representation.

Honestly, I think this committee is being created solely because the woman that wants to chair it is in search of a position of power....

Permalink Reply by turk182 on August 10, 2007 at 12:37pm

we have a safety committee with two officers from each department meeting with the township supervisors and discuss safety issues they also go around to each department and local township facilities and inspect for safety issues and discuss ways to fix them. i do not know it it is what your township has in mind but they are doing it here to cut down on workmans comp. claims and lower their costs for it.

Permalink Reply by Jolene Connelly on August 11, 2007 at 12:00pm

Nah, we already do that as a fire company... This would be simple if that was the issue! Thanks for the thought, though.

Permalink Reply by firefighter444 on September 1, 2007 at 11:17pm

sounds to me like the said person that wants it is trying to get herself into a place where she don't belong. our departement takes care of its self and we get along with our boro council very well. they let us handle the emergency things and are happy with us just letting them know whats going on.