Residents Launch Petition To Keep Newtown Fire Association In The Township

A petition has been launched to encourage Newtown Township officials to keep its relationship with the Newtown Fire Association in tact.

The petition, started Thursday on Change.org, encourages the township to continue its fire services agreement with the Newtown Borough-based Newtown Fire Association. It was launched after Township Manager Kurt Ferguson this week went public with his proposal to discontinue a partnership with the NFA in 2018 and instead rely solely on a hybrid paid and volunteer staff system.

As of Friday afternoon, the petition had 106 signatures.

The township's proposal at this time is just that: a proposal. Officials are expected to continue discussing options at upcoming public meetings.

Ferguson has said the proposal will have long-term financial and safety benefits, however, those signing the petition disagree. Such a setup "will cause an increase in taxes and reduced man power to protect the township residents," the petition says. It goes on to say the township needs to do "what is right for the people of the township and continue their current relationship with the NFA."

Currently, Newtown Township has eight paid firefighters who work during the day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The other times, such as overnight and during the weekends, the township relies on the services of the Newtown Fire Association.

Fire services in Newtown Township are funded in two ways: a fire tax that is a portion of millage paid by property owners and support from the state that is provided to each municipality using a formula based on factors such as population and community size, Ferguson explained.

Each year, the fire tax generates approximately $275,000 for Newtown Township. Of that, $170,000 goes to the Newtown Fire Association. In 2016, Newtown Township received $130,000 from the state, all of which went to the Newtown Fire Association.

As part of Ferguson's proposal, Newtown Township would retain the $170,000 of the tax it allocates to the Newtown Fire Association, plus hold on to the $130,000 of annual state funding. Those funds would enable the township to transition its existing department to establish a volunteer staff that would serve during the times currently covered by the Newtown Fire Association, Ferguson explained.

Other elements to Ferguson's plan include hiring a deputy fire chief who would focus on building the volunteer department by creating partnerships with surrounding companies such as Upper Makefield and Lingohocken. The partnerships could help in the form of sharing volunteers, as well as costly equipment, under Ferguson's vision.

PHOTO: Kara Seymour