Windham – The WVFD Joint Fire District Board met for their regularly scheduled meeting at the fire station last Thursday, February 12, 2015. The meeting was called to order at 6pm and they immediately went into an executive session to discuss personnel issues. After two plus hours, the board reconvened the regular meeting.
The board approved the minutes from three meetings, (one regular meeting and two special meetings), the expenditures, the bank reconciliation and the permanent appropriations of $732,750.
In the chief’s report, Chief Mike Iwanyckyj reported that they had 67 calls to date and on February 17, 2015 they will have their rescue equipment and life paks serviced. The chief will be meeting with the department officers soon to look at specs for a new fire truck.
In new business, Deborah Blewitt questioned the chief about folks on the roster who have not fulfilled their obligations to the district or dropped out of school that the district was funding. The chief confirmed that they were not running as they were supposed to and have dropped out of school. According to Iwanyckyj, the department has two individuals in school. In other new business, the board approved the service contract renewal for the life paks at $2950 annually.
In old business, Dann Timmons made a motion to accept the resignations of David Belknap, C.J. McPherson, Nick Bushek, and John Hoffstetter. Blewitt asked if they could be done individually, so Timmons withdrew the motion. Timmons made individual motions on the resignation acceptance. The individual resignation acceptance voting went as follows, all voted yes, for Belknap, McPherson, and Hoffstetter. The Bushek vote was Timmons yes, Ron Kilgore, yes, Mike Dye, yes and Blewitt, no. The motion carried with the board accepting Bushek’s resignation. (Phil Snyder was not in attendance due to a family emergency.)
A discussion was held on the dispatching issue. Timmons suggested they try and get a second legal opinion from Chip Comstock, (One of the architects of the operating agreement between the village and the township) on the alleged breach of contract over dispatching. A vote was taken, Timmons yes, Dye yes, Kilgore, yes and Blewitt abstained, motion carried. Comstock at one time said he would testify in court about the issue. Timmons thought it would be a good idea to have a second opinion before moving forward with the issue.
A resident questioned the board on whether the board has any plans to increase the pay for EMT’s and medics, so the district could retain them longer and slow down the revolving door. He would like to see the station manned 24/7. Timmons answered the question, by stating that the biggest issue is finances and after they get the specs, and pricing for a fire truck, they will address the issue, but right now they need to see where they are financially after the fire truck purchase. They expect to purchase a truck by summer.
There being no further business or questions, the meeting adjourned. The joint fire district meets on the second Thursday of each month at the fire station at 7 pm.
