Yesterday, Bald Eagle Fire Chief Scott Ilig met with The Daily Herald to voice concerns over funding for a new truck from Snyder Township.
Supervisors met earlier in December to approve the 2006 township budget in which there was $35,000 approved for the new truck, according to Illig.
He said the fire company was “99 percent ready” to get the truck, but now the bank won’t issue the loan because chairman of supervisors, Charlie Diehl, informed the bank the budget could be revisited in 2006 after two new supervisors take their seats.
Illig told The Daily Herald he wants Diehl and the new supervisors, Buddy Daughenbaugh, Jr. and Jim Burket to call for a special meeting before the end of the year to “put something into writing” for the money to be approved.
He said one of the reasons the fire company is so concerned is because they want to “lock-in” this year’s prices for the new truck.
Illig said fire coverage for Snyder Township could be questionable as of January 1 if the fire company doesn’t get an answer about the money.
Diehl told The Daily Herald this morning, “I’ve supported the fire company from day one, but I had to tell the banker the way it is.”
Diehl said the reality is the budget could be reopened by the two new supervisors, and they have a right to make changes.
He said he can’t call a special meeting before the end of the year because the new supervisors cannot enter into any township business until they are sworn in at the January 3 reorganization meeting.
He added that current supervisor, Jim Miller, did not resign his seat but left for Florida, leaving the township business to Diehl and current supervisor, Jim Chronister.
In a previous Daily Herald article, it was reported the Bald Eagle Fire Department began Operation Community Rescue last December, sending letters to area businesses to help raise money for the new truck.
The need for a new truck came when Pennsylvania state laws changed, requiring that all firefighters ride inside an enclosement, prohibiting anyone from riding on the back of the trucks.
The article stated the fire department needed to raise $80,000 for a deposit, so that an order could be placed. The total cost of the truck would be $400,000.
