The second public hearing was held at last week’s Tabernacle Township Committee meeting for an ordinance that would designate the Tabernacle Township Fire Company №1 as the volunteer firefighting organization of Tabernacle.
There were some questions from the public and suggestions made by committee members that led to the ordinance being tabled for further examination.
Committeeman Joseph Yates introduced an idea that raised some eyebrows. He proposed combining the fire company and the emergency squad into one organization.
“I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I do truly believe that this is a way we can save the taxpayers some money,” Yates said.
Committee passed Yates’ motion to create a subcommittee he would co-chair with Committeeman Stephen Lee. This subcommittee intends to sit down with the fire company and the emergency squad to discuss this idea and get their input on it.
“I’d like to sit down and pick their brains because I truly believe one organization is the best thing for Tabernacle Township,” Yates said.
Though Lee described Yates’ proposal as dropping an elephant in the room, he also described it as a really good point and one he cannot argue with, so he agreed to co-chair the subcommittee.
“The bottom line is we want to be able to have services provided to residents for the least possible cost, giving the volunteers the support and money that they need to be able to do their job,” Lee said.
Long-time resident Kathy Berger volunteered to be on this subcommittee because she believes there should be citizen input.
“While I agree with Mr. Yates, I don’t know how you’ll ever bring both agencies together, but I would love to see it,” Berger said.
Though Yates and Lee agreed to have citizen input, they want to maintain civil discussions and display a strict focus on how they can combine the needs of both parties to form one organization.
Lee could not say enough about how important it is to incorporate and have the volunteers as part of the solution moving forward.
“They have my upmost respect,” Lee said. “In terms of moving forward and having a long-term solution and a global change for emergency services in Tabernacle, it’s important to have them as a part of the path moving forward.”
It is not a guarantee that this idea is even feasible considering these groups have not agreed to meet and hear the subcommittee’s plea, but the subcommittee is determined to explore the possibility of forming one emergency service organization that would combine the emergency squad and fire department.
This is an idea that has never been pushed like this in the past and would likely be a prime cost-saving dynamic for the taxpayers of the community. As Yates pointed out, the organizations already do some of the same duties. Some of the members of the emergency squad are also members of the fire department.
“They respond to the same cause,” Yates said.
This proposal will also include township administrator Doug Cramer, and it will be brought before Mayor Kim Brown, who was not in attendance at last week’s meeting.
