BEAVER TWP. FIREFIGHTERS Resignations put township in a bind

Procedural matters within the department are at the heart of the issue.
By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NORTH LIMA -- The Beaver Township Volunteer Fire Department is down several members, and township officials are not sure when, or if, they will be returning to the ranks.
"We just wanted to express our concerns [with the trustees] and do what we could to work things out," firefighter Rocky Carr said Wednesday. "We were asking for a response. If a resolution wasn't possible, we asked for the trustees to accept our resignations."
Earlier this month, trustees unanimously accepted the resignations of nine firefighters who had been on inactive status for about a year.
Those individuals had presented to the township several concerns they had about various procedures conducted at the fire department.
In September, the trustees reported the township received a letter from those individuals asking the township to accept their resignations as a statement of solidarity. They believed they could not subject themselves to the procedures.
Township officials and the firefighters have declined to specify what those procedures are.
Accepted resignations
Carr said that initially, the trustees responded by asking the firefighters to return to active duty.
Because they did not go back to active status, however, the trustees, after an executive session during the township's regular monthly meeting this month, voted unanimously to accept the resignations of Carr, Greg Burbick, Richard Carr Sr., Hope Carr, Bob Morrison, Randy Carr, Marla Slabach, Richard Graham and Dave Casanta.
After accepting the resignations, the trustees issued this statement: "We will mention that these gentlemen and ladies have served the township well, some with several decades of service. We appreciate their efforts and recognize as residents of this township that we look forward to having a continued relationship with each of them."
Earlier this week, during another closed session, the firefighters had an opportunity to meet with the trustees. None of them were reinstated, a move that must be made at an open meeting.
Rocky Carr said, however, he feels efforts have been made on both sides to work out several differences between the firefighters and the trustees. He declined to elaborate.
Trustee Ron Kappler said the parties are trying to work things out. He would not comment further on the issue because it is a personnel matter.