By Kyle Rowland
The Blade
SPENCER TOWNSHIP, Ohio. — Employees of the Spencer Township Fire Department soon may be out of work.
During a special meeting Wednesday, Spencer Township trustees voted to transfer service to the Springfield Township Fire Department, citing fiscal responsibility. Trustees Teresa Bettinger and Shawn Valentine each voted yes. Michael Hood was absent.
The Springfield Township trustees, who next meet May 2, must approve the measure before it becomes official.
“This is a decision that was not made lightly,” Mr. Valentine said. “It’s a real financial struggle for the township.”
Spencer Township Fire Chief Carl Arnold said he was surprised by how quickly the township board acted.
“My first thought when I heard about this [Tuesday] morning was that I would at least have some time to prepare a counter offer,” Chief Arnold said. “I was a little taken aback by the fact that the board wouldn’t even entertain that idea.”
It was Mr. Valentine’s first appearance at a trustee meeting since last summer, before a military deployment in Cuba. In December, Mr. Hood and former trustee D. Hilarion Smith called a special meeting, declared Mr. Valentine’s seat vacant, and then installed Mr. Smith as trustee. An Ohio Supreme Court hearing on that matter is pending.
Mr. Smith was not at Wednesday’s meeting.
Spencer Township currently spends about $500,000 per year on its fire department, though about $120,000 of that cost is recovered.
By contracting with Springfield Township for fire service, Spencer Township would pay $128,000 the first year and 3 percent annual increases thereafter over 10 years.
The service is proposed to start July 1. Spencer Township’s firehouse would be staffed around the clock with three individuals, including at least one paramedic at all times.
While it will still be called the Spencer Township Fire Department, its staff will be Springfield Township employees and the Spencer Township’s 18 employees, including four volunteers, will need to apply to Springfield Township to stay with the department.
The Spencer Township department also responds to EMS calls and provides coverage for Swanton and Harding townships — contracts Springfield Township plans to honor.
Springfield Township fire Chief Barry Cousino said six to 10 employees will be hired, and hiring preference will be given to Spencer Township firefighters. Springfield Township will honor Spencer Township’s contracts for emergency services in neighboring Swanton and Harding townships.
The Springfield Township Fire Department, which also provides coverage for the village of Holland, has 72 members and operates three fire stations.
Currently, Spencer Township spends about 30 percent — about $140,000 — of its Joint Economic Development Zone income-tax revenue on the fire department.
Consolidating resources will allow Spencer Township to keep its fire station and pay for upgrades with the savings, trustees said.
“We can bring it into the 21st century,” Ms. Bettinger said. “We don’t have enough money to do that right now. We’ve barely got enough money to pay our bills. With this deal, we can pave the parking lot and renovate the building. We’re here to help our township and each other.
“It’s a win-win situation.”
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