Mich. department gets replacement apparatus, new firefighters

May 02, 2009 08:10 AM

By David T. Young
The Kalamazoo Gazette

RICHLAND, Mich. — The Richland Township Fire Department has a new grass-fire truck and two new firefighters.

The Richland Township Board approved expenditure of $54,000 for a new grass rig to replace the old International No. 371 April 14. The fate of the old vehicle is still up in the air, as the Fire Association has to decide whether it wants to have it sold or have it refurbished and used as a historical relic in parades and other local community celebrations.

“We need to move on this because there are space limitations (on where to keep the old truck when the new one comes in),” said Acting Fire Chief Mark Shoemaker. He added that the International would be kept only if enough donations could be secured to pay for refurbishing it.

There is also a question about having it insured.

Richland Township Trustee Bo VanPeenan said, however, the fire department ran a budget deficit of $46,000 last year and has a projected deficit of $127,000 for the next fiscal year, so “I’m not in favor of anything that requires the township to expend any money other than for fighting fires.”

Therefore, he said, he favors either selling the old International or having the association pick up all costs of refurbishing.

Shoemaker said he brought the matter to the board only to get members’ opinions and the matter will be decided soon by the association.

The two new firefighters are Justin Schlabach and Charles Pignataro. The former is a police officer at Mendon, but he and his wife live in Richland. The latter is a business owner just south of Richland. Both will be probationary firefighters and are scheduled to undergo formal training sometime for certification next year.