By CARL LINDQUIST
The York Dispatch (Pennsylvania)
Copyright 2006 York Newspapers, Inc.
Spring Garden and Springettsbury townships are considering merging their paid fire departments to save money and provide better service.
A preliminary analysis by the state Department of Community and Economic Development shows joint service would benefit both municipalities, according to John Holman, manager of Springettsbury Township.
If successful, it would become one of only a handful of paid fire department mergers in Pennsylvania, according to Greg Morgan, spokesman for the state agency, which helps guide such efforts.
Most of the approximately 40 mergers in Pennsylvania were of volunteer departments or those with a mix of volunteers and paid firefighters, according to Morgan.
“It has been done before, but it’s rather unique,” he said.
Further study: Spring Garden and Springettsbury are now looking to fund a detailed feasibility study that will examine the short-, medium- and long-term costs of combining the two departments.
The study is expected to cost about $60,000. Spring Garden and Springettsbury officials went before the York County Board of Commissioners yesterday hoping for about $20,000 toward that cost in the form of an intergovernmental cooperation grant.
Commissioners have $100,000 this year to divvy out to applicants, and expect to make their funding decisions tomorrow.
The point of the merger is to reduce costs through more efficient service and capital purchases, officials said yesterday.
If successful, more municipalities might join the effort and start their own mergers.
“We think very much that this project could grow,” said Gregory Maust, manager of Spring Garden. “I think here in York County that it could very well be a model for others.”
The study should be complete by the end of September. A recommendation from the joint committee looking at the merger is expected in December, Maust said.
A subcommittee is looking at consolidating the two townships’ volunteer fire companies, he added.
Help fight fires: Besides consolidating purchases such as fire trucks and potentially leading to reduced overhead costs, the move could allow the fire departments to more efficiently manage personnel, according to Spring Garden Fire Chief Barry Emig.
It could improve safety and the efficiency of firefighters’ response, he said.
For one thing, it would streamline managing their equipment so it could be more easily used by the firefighters of each department, he said.
“The idea behind it is to find a way to improve the way we use manpower now,” he said.
From the county’s perspective, the merger is a move in the right direction.
“I think it’s a great concept,” said Commissioner Doug Kilgore. “To me, it’s a trend I’d like to see elsewhere.”