(PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
TOWNSHIP CONTRACTS … Mayor Ed Kidston and the rest of council took time to discuss the issue regarding the fire service contracts with the townships as residents question what happens in an emergency.
By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
During the Pioneer Finance and Safety Committee meeting on Wednesday, January 8th, the possibility of offering a 60-day grace period to the townships regarding the fire service contracts was discussed.
Township trustees in Amboy and Bridgewater recently declined a proposal from Pioneer to extend their mutual aid fire and rescue service contracts. Initially, the village proposed a 15% annual increase in the rate but later reduced it to 10%.
Additionally, it was noted that there has not been a contract with Madison Township in at least eight years.
The 10% contracts have been reduced to a 1-year term instead of the initial 5 years. Mayor Ed Kidston stated that this 1-year contract will automatically renew unless either the township or the village provides a 30-day notice indicating that they no longer wish to maintain the contract. He also mentioned that the 10% increase is the lowest rate the village can offer.
The mayor believes in fairness and doesn’t think it’s right for the residents of Pioneer to face tax increases for these services while the townships contribute nothing.
“We’re in this dilemma where the townships don’t want to pay for good service and I don’t want, none of us want the Pioneer citizens to subsidize the townships,” said Kidston.
This change will not affect the village residents, and the village fire and rescue team will continue to respond to code 4 accidents and structural fires in the township areas.
Mayor Kidston repeatedly encouraged residents during the meeting to attend their township meetings and speak with their trustees about this issue, urging them to persuade the townships to reconsider their stance.
A decision was not reached during the meeting; however, Kidston mentioned that, in the interest of being good community partners, the village will likely extend the service contracts for an additional 60 days, moving the end date to March 1, 2025. This decision is expected to be finalized at the council meeting on Monday, January 13th.
The extended 60-day period will provide the Williams County 911 Communications Department with the necessary time to implement changes to their dispatching procedures.
Village officials had informed the county communications about the change in status between the village and the townships via email just days before the new year.
This notification led to confusion regarding whom to notify for a vehicle accident that occurred a few days after the new year began.
Commissioner Terry Rummel and Heather Mercer, the Director of Communications, were present during the meeting. Both expressed concerns about the time required to implement the dispatching changes.
Rummel emphasized that there should have been communication among the village, townships, and Mercer regarding these changes well before the email was sent.
Insurance ratings were discussed, along with the possibility of a five-year contract that could include a 10% increase, contingent on council approval. Mayor Kidston mentioned that this could be a viable option for the village to consider.
In other business, the finance committee has agreed to recommend to the council that village funds be used to pay for the new fire engine ordered in 2023. The estimated cost of the fire truck is just over $800,000.
Mayor Kidston has proposed purchasing it outright with cash, as there are sufficient funds available to avoid taking out a loan.
The village currently has over one million dollars in a state-sponsored investment account and could use $600,000 from that account, along with an additional $251,000 from the general fund. However, the situation may change, as the truck is not expected to be ready until the fall.
With nothing further, the meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m.