by Andre Clayton
Reporter
Twinsburg -- Township Trustees say they plan to use an extra month extension the city tagged on to the current fire and emergency services contract to discuss a new three-year fire services contract between the two municipalities.
City Council April 22 granted the township the one-month extension on the current three-year safety services contract, which will now be active through June 1 instead of April 30. Some Councilors felt the township still needed more time to look over the proposed three-year contract, according to Councilor Bill Hon.
"We will finalize the contract soon," Trustee Carol Gasper said.
Although "the [three-year] contract is nearly identical to the ones the city has issued us before," township Safety Committee Chairperson Chris Hrach said, he and his fellow panel members "want the contract end date to be on Dec. 31, to line up with the fiscal year."
"It would make it easier for township to do the budget," Hrach added.
Besides the end date of the new contract, which would be April 30, 2011, Hrach said he is "happy with the contract and city fire service."
Twinsburg Township Office Administrator Anna Knoch has said the township paid the city $40,338 per month, or $484,061 for the year, in 2006 for fire and emergency service. In 2007, the township paid the city $43,200 per month, or $518,400 for the year, for fire and emergency service, Knoch said.
The fire and emergency services contract is based on a percentage of the overall calls to which the city responds that are located in the township. The township then pays a similar percentage each year of the city fire department's budget.
On average, according to city officials, the township's cost represents between 12 percent and 13 percent of a more than $4 million budget for the Twinsburg Fire Department.
"The service they provide has never been an issue," Hrach said. "I never heard a complaint from a resident."
According to Hrach, the township safety committee was established in January to review the future of the township's safety services.
Hrach said the township is not looking into other fire contracts with other communities.
"It is not an option to use anyone else," Hrach said.
Hrach also said the township is not considering building a fire department.
"Once we get into the costs, for as small a town as the township, it is not a feasible option," Hrach said. The township's population is approximately 2,300 people.
"We would have to buy the vehicles, hire staff and build the fire department, which would take a lot of time and money," Hrach added.
E-mail: aclayton@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3172