By Greg Cross
The York Dispatch
Hundreds of West York residents lent their names in support of the borough’s fire department.
On Saturday, between 25 and 30 firefighters and volunteers went door-knocking and collected a little more than 400 names on a petition supporting the borough’s fire service, said Shawn Speicher, president of the department.
“They pretty much covered the whole borough. Block by block, house by house,” he said.
The petition will be presented to the borough council during its meeting Monday. Also during the meeting, the council is expected to review a new 2012 budget.
Mayor Sam Firestone vetoed the previously approved $3.4 million budget at the end of December, citing his opposition to a proposed 1.5 mill tax increase. The council has until Feb. 15 to create a new one.
Speicher said a number of residents told firefighters they were not aware of the budget crisis gripping West York.
The petition signing campaign was prompted after Firestone said during a town meeting earlier this month that he’d like to see the fire department go to all-volunteer fire services.
“It’s something the mayor has voiced before,” Speicher said.
The borough employs three fulltime career firefighters and five part-time firefighters. Paid firefighters also do code inspections and work in fire prevention.
As council members tackle the budget, Steve Herman, council president, said there are no plans to do away with any borough positions.
“There will be no layoffs,” he said Sunday night.
To avert a tax increase, a proposal calls for administrative and highway department employees face a 10 percent pay cut, some employees would not be allowed to work overtime, the borough would put a freeze on hiring new employees, and expenditures would be held at 2011 levels.
Years to come: While there are no plans to cut fire personnel now, Speicher said he hopes the show of support for the fire, police and highway departments continues as additional budgets are prepared in the coming years.
“I know the support borough residents have for fire and police,” he said. “This is just the start for us. Every year it’s going to be the same thing.”
Copyright 2012 York Newspapers, Inc.