South Baldwin Firefighters Make Plea for More Support, and Other Notes

South Baldwin Firefighters Make Plea for More Support

“The average cost for a new fire truck: $500,000. The average cost to outfit one firefighter: $2,803.50. The average cost for one self-contained breathing apparatus: $5,400. The yearly operating budget for the (SBVFC): $100,000.”

Those were the words of the SBVFC’s Board of Directors President Chad Hurka as he spoke before the Baldwin Borough Council on Tuesday night to ask for increased funding. Specifically, Hurka asked council members to increase his company’s yearly support figure from borough taxpayers to $125,000. He said that each household in the south Baldwin area paying $57.36 per year would total that amount.

Hurka said that much of the SBVFC’s equipment, including both of its 20-year-old trucks, will soon need to be replaced.

He said that the company organizes fundraising events, but the money coming in through those events has not been sufficient. Nonetheless, Hurka encouraged area residents, especially council members, to continue to take part in those fundraisers. Click here to learn how to help.

Council Alters Service Employees Pension Plan

The Baldwin Council unanimously approved ordinance No. 840 on Tuesday night. The ordinance alters its pension plan for any new service employees.

“What we’re doing now, for all new (service) employees … instead of a defined benefit, it’s going to be a defined contribution,” Baldwin Manager John M. Barrett said. “We’re going to give you 6 percent, and it’s your account. You invest it. If it grows, great. If it crashes, sorry. But, when you retire, you get a lump-sum payment as opposed to a guarantee of a percentage of salary.

“And what it does to us (administrators) is it takes some of the guesswork out of how much we have to put toward our pension (plan). It should lower the cost … 

“With the old plan—the defined benefit plan—the growth of the plan doesn’t mean anything because, no matter what happens to the market, (the worker’s) guaranteed to get a percentage of (his or her) salary in retirement. And the borough has to live up to that. Now, rather than have our plans fluctuate with our contributions each year, it’s static. It’s going to be 6 percent—this is what the borough contributes.

“(The worker) has more leeway in how (he or she) invests that. Potentially, it could grow. Potentially, it might not grow … But it’s their account and their money.”

No Stove/Oven (Yet) for Municipal Building Kitchen

Councilman John Ferris made an impromptu motion on Tuesday night to approve the purchase of a new or used stove/oven to be placed in the kitchen of . Ferris did not have a price in mind but did not see the purchase as being expensive.

Fellow Councilman John Conley seconded Ferris’ motion.

Ferris explained that the kitchen has no warming device right now and that any groups using the municipal building for an event that has food available at it could utilize the stove/oven.

Baldwin Mayor Alexander R. Bennett Jr. added that, should the building need to be used during a state of emergency, it would be prudent to have a stove/oven on-site. 

After hearing his fellow councilmen share concerns over approving a motion without knowing the cost associated with it, Larry Brown motioned to table the stove/oven item until council members are made aware of the actual cost of the appliance. Councilman Bob Collet seconded the tabling motion, and upon a roll call, the item was tabled by a vote of 5-2. Ferris and Conley dissented.

Small Addition to American Legion Post Approved

Baldwin Council unanimously approved the addition of a small room to the American Legion Post 935 building on Joseph Street. The addition is estimated to be 120 square feet in size and will serve primarily as a storage area.

The Nix Vogel Home Association owns the building.

Community Halloween Event

Baldwin Borough officials are inviting youth residents and their families to the borough municipal building for a Halloween celebration on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event is free of charge.

World War II Exhibit at Municipal Auditorium

The Baldwin Council unanimously passed a motion on Tuesday night to allow the to host a “Remember World War II” exhibit at the auditorium in the borough building on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

UPDATE: The Baldwin Library has announced that that event will be open to the public from 1 to 3:30 p.m. that day.

Date for Agenda Meeting Moved

Due to Election Day, the Baldwin Borough Council’s Nov. 8 agenda meeting has been pushed back to Wednesday, Nov. 9.