Lansdale recap: Firefighter stipend

A new bonus for members of the Fairmount Fire Company is now on the books in Lansdale.

July 18 LANSDALE

Firefighter stipend approved: A new bonus for members of the Fairmount Fire Company is now on the books in Lansdale.

Borough council voted unanimously July 18 to approve a new contribution from the borough to the fire company’s stipend program.

“The fire company will administer it, and they will keep all of the records necessary to let us know when firefighters have made a threshold, of how many calls they have to make,” said councilman Leon Angelichio.

“They will be doling out that money, so to speak, but there will be hand-in-hand communication” with borough staff, he said.

Talks began on a possible incentive for the fire company last fall, when staff and council were planning the 2018budget. Under the state’s Act 172 of 2016, local municipalities are able to offer discounts on their taxes to emergency responders, but the fire company suggested instead that the borough contribute to a stipend program the company already maintained, based on the number and type of calls each firefighter responds to.

The motion approved by council, and vetted through its Administration and finance committee of which Angelichio is chairman, sets a maximum of $50,000 to be spent in the first year, and Angelichio said that number will be used as a baseline to gauge the program’s results.

“When we say ‘Not to exceed $50,000,’ that doesn’t mean we’re going to spend $50,000. It’s going to be based on how many calls there are, how many firefighters show up, do we meet the thresholds,” Angelichio said.

Fire company members already receive free memberships to borough pools for themselves and their families, and Angelichio said the stipend is meant as a thanks from the borough for their service — and a way to avoid a larger expense in the future.

“Volunteerism for these types of groups is falling, so this is a very good thing for this borough to do. $50,000 is a very inexpensive donation to be put toward this program,” Angelichio said.

“Fire companies are not inexpensive to administer, and if we want to promote volunteerism, we have to give people reasons to participate. If we don’t, we will find ourselves with a paid fire company within the next couple of years, and budgeting for that is very significant,” he said. ‘No parking’ zone now official: Council also approved a new no-parking zone to be established on the 400 block of Church Road, in response to resident complaints about long-term commuter parking there.

“This has been far too long a time in coming. I’m glad Mr. Darab has persisted, and I’m glad to see this motion come forward,” said council member Mary Fuller, thanking resident John Darab for pushing for the zone.

Signs indicating the new zone were posted on July 26, and borough police say they will allow a one week warning period, then begin ticketing, and towing if necessary, anyone found parking in that area.

“That area of the street has become a bottleneck, with all of the cars parked on either side during the day. It’s long overdue,” councilman Steve Malagari said. Appointments approved: Council also voted unanimously to reappoint three members of the borough’s Economic Development Committee.

Residents and prior committee members Richard Strahm, Bruce Schwartz and Mark Ladley were all reappointed to new two-year terms effective immediately and running through July 31, 2020.

The appointments were made necessary due to the borough’s dissolution of its communications commission, which has been folded into the larger economic development committee, according to council President Denton Burnell. Resident Alexander Felts, who is currently on the commission, was also up for appointment to the economic development committee, but council wanted more time to consider that application, Burnell said.

“Hopefully, we’ll be appointing him at our August meeting. Thanks, Alex, for stepping up,” he said.

Two positions on the newly expanded economic development committee are still available for interested applicants, and one position is open on the borough’s police pension board of trustees. Any interested resident can send a resume and letter of interest to borough recording secretary Stacie Maile at 1 Vine Street, Lansdale PA 19446, or by emailing smaile@ lansdale.org. Borough council next meets at 9 p.m. on Aug. 1, with committee meetings starting at 7 p.m., all at borough hall, 1 Vine St. For more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www. Lansdale.org or follow @LansdalePA on Twitter.