Small Alpena Township fire staff raises concerns about mutual aid commitment
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Alpena Township has interviewed five candidates for its vacant fire chief position and a recommendation to the full board of trustees on who should be hired could come soon.
The vacancy was created after former chief Dave Robbins submitted his letter of resignation last month. His last day at the department is slated for Aug. 31.
At Tuesday's trustees meeting, Supervisor Nathan Skibbe said all five candidates could fit the bill, but a final recommendation from the personnel committee has not been agreed upon yet.
Skibbe said a recommendation could come soon, and he would schedule a special meeting where a vote on the hiring could occur.
"We're still in the middle of the process," Skibbe said. "We have a very good pool of talented individuals."
The fire department staff remains small and hiring more firefighters is a priority to complement the current employees. Last month, the trustees voted to hold off on hiring firefighters, until a new chief was in place, allowing the new chief to hire the staff they believe is qualified.
During discussion, concerns were raised about the township's ability to hold up its mutual aid commitment to other local municipalities.
Alpena Township, Maple Ridge Township, Sanborn Township, Grand Lake Fire Department, Alpena Fire Department, and potentially Wilson Township, are part of a multi-jurisdictional pact to provide response to one another when needed.
Skibbe said because of the staffing shortage, he is concerned the township may not be able to hold up its end of the deal right now.
"Unfortunately that is where we're at during this lean time and we are at barebones staff," Skibbe said. "We will have to lean on our partners, like they leaned on us when they were weak."
Trustee Norm Poli said the lack of staffing and dependence on mutual-aid concerns him. He said he fears the lack of staffing at the township's two stations puts the public at risk.
"It has always been my concern, and always has been, is the safety of our citizens, so I just want to know that things are being properly cared for at the fire department," he said.
Trustee Russ Rhynard said he also has concerns about the safety of the firefighters on staff. He said some are new and lack experience, which worries him.
"I have concerns about the (safety) of our relatively new staff and the level of training they have to deal with a serious emergency that might put them in peril," he said. "I highly recommend we get new hires and get them somewhere they can get some experience. That is going to cost us some money."
In late June, the trustees voted 4-3 not to enter into a contract with the City of Alpena for fire and EMS services that could have saved the township more than $300,000 a year, and ensured both township stations were adequately staffed.
Township residents approved 10-year, 1.5-mill property tax for fire department operations, equipment, and training in August 2018. That millage, which costs the owner of a $100,000 house about $75 a year, will generate $506,243 a year.
Voters also approved a 0.65-mill, five-year tax proposal to fund new rescue vehicles and other needed equipment. That tax, which costs the owner of a $100,000 house about $32.50 a year, generates a touch over $200,000 a year.
The city still provides ambulance transfers for the township and the rest of the county because it has a contract with Alpena County to provide the service.