By SAMANTHA COSSICK
The Public Opinion
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — As part of a proposed 2012 budget, Chambersburg Borough Manager Jeffrey Stonehill suggests eight position cuts within the fire department.
“The time has come to evaluate the size and cost of the Chambersburg Emergency Services Department against the community need for public safety,” Stonehill wrote in the budget proposal. “This is not an easy measure but, given the extreme lack of growth in the General Fund revenues, to ignore this measure would be foolish.”
The department’s ambulance service has seen “significant” growth in revenues, he said. So he is suggesting a “Change in Focus Plan” to be adopted July 1.
The fire department has a chief and deputy chief, as well as 18 firefighters and three captains who work 24-hour shifts with 48 hours off.
A minimum of five firefighters are present during each shift with one ambulance in service.
The “Change in Focus Plan” would make the following changes:
- Eliminate the deputy chief position.
- Downsize to eight firefighters and five captains.
- Work 12-hour shifts similar to police department.
- Have five firefighters on hand during daylight shift (a minimum of four) and two during overnight shift.
- Two ambulances in service.
Emergency Services Chief William FitzGerald said possible cuts are “concerning” but he recognized the borough manager has a job to do.
“Certainly we would like to keep the department intact, but we’ll see how the council decides and go from there,” he said.
FitzGerald hasn’t “really focused” yet on the impact the cuts could have on the fire department until there is more information from council.
With these changes, the department is expected to generate $800,000 with the ambulance service, Stonehill said. Without the changes, it would generate about $725,000.
To avoid these cuts, Stonehill said the borough would have to establish a separate earmarked fire tax of 1.75 mills. This would raise the real estate tax rate from 20 mills to 21.75 mills.
“If we do not establish a fire tax, we will need to do these cuts,” he said. “We would focus more on ambulance duties than fire services.”
The fire department would then rely heavily on volunteer fire companies for fire prevention and suppression, Stonehill said.
Chambersburg Fire Department works with three local volunteer companies — Cumberland Valley Hose Company No. 5, Good Will Fire Company No. 3, and Junior Hose and Truck Company No. 2 — which have 15 active volunteers, FitzGerald said.
“If such a role cannot be agreed upon before June 30, 2012, the Change in Focus Plan is not viable,” Stonehill writes in the proposed budget. “Public safety can be maintained but only with the cooperation and participation of our volunteer firefighters.”
Chambersburg Borough Council is to discuss the proposed 2012 budget again at its Nov. 14 meeting and must adopt a budget by Dec. 31.
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