FIRE DISTRICT Task force continues research
The meeting has been rescheduled for Thursday evening.
SALEM -- The debate on the feasibility and possible savings of combining the city and the Perry Township fire departments into a district was put on hold Tuesday because the task force studying the issue was not ready to discuss its findings.
Greg Oesch, a city council member who chairs the five-member Fire District Task Force, said the committee had canceled its Tuesday discussion and postponed it until 7 p.m. Thursday in the city council chamber.
Oesch, who has said Salem could save substantial money by forming a district from the two departments, said the task force will present its report to the council at 5 p.m. March 23 in its chambers.
Firefighters as well as residents have objected that the cost savings could come from a loss of paid firefighters in Salem.
The district idea stems from a need to compensate for revenue shortfalls resulting from the fact that 1 percent and 0.5 percent sales taxes will expire this year in Columbiana County. Officials are not confident the taxes will be renewed.
"We have a large amount of data to sift through," Oesch said. "We're working on a proposed budget for the district, but at this moment we're not ready to discuss it." As part of their research, task force members visited the fire departments in Canfield and Poland, he said.
Speaking up
Only a few of the 30 residents spoke about the issue at the council meeting, where Oesch detailed the status of the study.
"The fire district is a joke," resident Frank Coy said. "A lot of people want to keep the city fire department."
Jim Bonfert, another resident, pleaded with the council to find new revenue to compensate for the shortfall rather than form the district.
Speaking about the possible loss of paid city firefighters, Bonfert said, "I'm not putting down volunteer firefighters. They're all great. But, forming the district would be contrary to what's best for the growth of Salem. We want the city to prosper."
He suggested the city might find new revenues and cost savings if it employed a professional manager.
However, city officials pointed out under state law, Salem would have to adopt a charter to employ a manager.