News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena Township firefighter/paramedic Chris Wilson checks airpacks while at work Monday at Township South.

ALPENA –The staffing shortage at the Alpena Township Fire Department is being addressed, as more employees have been added to the schedule. Others may be hired soon, if the fire union agrees with the township’s request to create a new position title.

At Monday’s board of trustees meeting, Fire Chief Dave Robbins, and members of the fire department ad hoc committee, updated the trustees on the progress of the restructuring of the department and the pursuit of new employees.

A staffing shortage has forced the township to hire the city to help with emergency response and operate the northside station.

The department was down to only two full-time employees only a little more than a week ago, but Robbins said an employee who had been unavailable because of COVID-19 protocols, has returned.

A firefighter/paramedic from Alcona County was also hired to lend a hand for the time being.

The trustees voted to extend a job offer to another applicant, contingent on the union approving the new position of fireman/EMT.

Trustee Steve Lappan said he believes it is important to get the union’s approval before a new hire is added to payroll.

“I’m hesitant to hire someone who lives four-and-a-half hours away, because we could put them in a tough position,” Lappan said. “It would not be good to have them move to town to find out they don’t have a job when they get here.”

The township is still seeking more applications to round out the hiring needed to fill the revamped department.

A final structural plan hasn’t been finalized, but trustee Cash Kroll, who is on the ad hoc committee, said he anticipates seven employees is about right.

Robbins has been in contact with several universities who have fire programs to seek assistance in finding new hires. He said one college was going to send out a mass email to recent graduates informing them of the opportunity in the township.

Robbins told the board he has received applications from four people who are interested in becoming paid-on-call employees for the fire department, which would help to bolster the first response capability.

In other business the board voted to:

∫ Hire Dixon Engineering for $5,500 to inspect the township’s water tower on Piper Road. The consultant will then make a recommendation to the township on what repairs or maintenance needs to be done to comply with Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy regulations.

∫ Update the township’s poverty exemption standards. The change increases the value of assets a person or family can have.

∫ Enter into a maintenance agreement with Alpena County Equalization. The county department maintains many vital records for the township, as well as helps prepare tax bills for mailing.