Fire Advisory Board Will Have Fifth Member

Correction: Northville city manager Patrick Sullivan's title was incorrectly stated in a previous version of this story. Also, the fire services agreement is between the city of Northville and the city of Plymouth.

Two major decisions came out of a 20-minute meeting of the newly minted Northville-Plymouth Fire Advisory Board on Monday afternoon; the first of which was to secure a fifth trustee, and the second of which was to accept proposed bylaws.

After a unanimous vote and the recommendation of city of Northville Fire Chief Jim Allen, former Van Buren Township Fire Chief Al Smolen will be the board’s fifth member.

Smolen, Allen said, had the kind of experience the board would need to set policy for the joint city of Plymouth and city of Northville department.

“He has extensive experience with paid, on-call departments,” said Allen.

In a memo provided to the board, Allen said Smolen was willing to serve on the board. Smolen does not live in either city, but the commission’s bylaws do not require a fifth trustee to live in Plymouth or Northville.

Additionally, trustees also adopted bylaws, which state the board will meet four times per year, make recommendations regarding fire and medical services according to the recently inked intergovernmental agreement between the communities, appoint a chairman of the board, designate committees, recommend annual budgets, and make recommendations to city councils.

The current members of the board in addition to Smolen are Northville Mayor Christopher Johnson, Northville City Manager Patrick Sullivan, Plymouth City Manager Paul Sincock, and Plymouth City Commissioner Ed Hingelberg, who will serve as the chairman for one year.

The joint agreement between Plymouth and Northville was signed earlier this year, after a 14-year partnership between the City of Plymouth and Plymouth Township could not agree on parameters for a new agreement. The points of contention included Plymouth’s desire to introduce paid, on-call workers into the mix, which was rejected by the Plymouth Township’s firefighters union.

Northville’s fire department is completely paid and on-call.

Before the Plymouth-Plymouth Township agreement expires at the end of this year, more hiring will take place. The Northville city department now employs about 43 firefighters, and will hire 10-12 more. Additionally, an area in the current municipal area that is being occupied by the police department will be retrofitted to serve as the department’s second station.

“We have bids out right now,” said Sincock. “We hope to have it completely done by Nov. 1.”

At Plymouth’s New Year’s Eve party, there will be a ribbon cutting.