Hempfield puts off move on fire tax

Dec. 25--Hempfield supervisors are going to wait at least a year before deciding whether to add a tax to fund the township's 12 volunteer fire departments.

Supervisors said Wednesday that the proposed 3-mill fire tax requested by the departments won't be enacted for 2016.

But as the departments and township move toward creating a more streamlined system for the fire service, officials said the levy could be considered for 2017 and beyond.

"That tax is not off the table," said Supervisor Tom Logan.

Supervisors are poised to approve on Monday a 2016 budget that holds the property tax rate steady at 3 mills. The board had been mulling the levy proposed last month by members of the Hempfield Township Fire Chiefs Association, which would have doubled property tax bills.

Fire officials requested the tax -- which would generate $1.6 million -- because they are faced with rising costs. Additionally, the departments are seeing fewer volunteers -- a key to fundraising -- and donations.

"We spend more man-hours on fundraising than we do on training, which is embarrassing to the fire service," said Don Thoma, chief of the Adamsburg and Community departments.

Firefighters formulated a plan during the last year to establish a township-wide Bureau of Fire that they say would address recruitment, debt and training issues at all of the departments.

Supervisors will vote Monday on creating the bureau and a working group that will be tasked with implementing the initial parts of the project.

"We're not changing the end plan," Logan said. "We're able to do this for '16 without having to raise that tax for '16."

In the meantime, officials and fire chiefs will begin to increase recruiting efforts, consolidate equipment and apparatus debts with the township and establish a system to submit operation-related expenses.

The township spends about $580,000 a year on fire department-related costs, including vehicle insurance, training and gear. It also gives each department $15,000 for operations. Fundraisers and grants fill spending gaps for the departments.

The proposed fire tax would have replaced the money allocated to the departments.

The things that are accomplished by the working group will be taken into consideration when deciding whether to include a fire tax in the 2017 budget, supervisors said.

"We are 100 percent in agreement of supporting this plan of action," Logan said.

Renatta Signorini is a staff writer for Trib Total Media.

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