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The Honesdale Fire Department says it isn’t getting what was budgeted for fire protection over the last two years, and would like the Honesdale Borough Council to put a policy in place for how and when it will distribute funds to avoid the problem in the future.
At a special council workshop meeting Monday, the presidents of Alert Hook and Ladder No. 2, Protection Engine No. 3 and the Captain of Alert No. 2 came to try to obtain an agreement from the council to develop a formal policy for how the fire company will be paid for their services.
Speaking on behalf of his comrades, Alert No. 2 President Robert Kretschmer said, “Our expenditures are skyrocketing, and we have to program our expenditures. We’re just asking that the Borough set a policy for how the money will be distributed and when. That’s all”
According to Kretschmer’s synopsis of the issue, in a Nov. 2010 meeting, the council budgeted $15,000 for Alert No. 2, but he said after the initial $8,000, the rest never came, despite his contention that there should be $13,450 left.
“We just want to resolve this and get a policy in place so we don’t have to come back and do this every year, asking for money,” Kretschmer went on, “We’re asking you to review the records for 2010 and 2011 and either let us have the $7,000 promised to us or divide what’s left in the pot between the four companies.”
After some discussion of approaching adjacent townships to pay a bit more for the mutual aid service Honesdale Fire Department provides than they currently do, Council President Michael O’Day said the council would have an answer for the fire company before the next regular meeting Sept. 5.
REGULAR MEETING
• Mike Augello, owner of Music and Video Express on Main Street — speaking on behalf of the Greater Honesdale Partnership (GHP) — said his organization has heard a lot of negative comments about the condition of the Christmas ornaments that line Main Street every year.
Because of the positive attention they believe the decorations can bring to the town, Augello said GHP has taken it upon itself to refurbish and/or replace the trees and bells we see hanging from the poles along Main Street.
The ornaments belong to the Borough, and Augello asked the council to consider buying the new ornaments and refurbishing materials now, while summer discounts are still available.
The Honesdale Fire Department says it isn’t getting what was budgeted for fire protection over the last two years, and would like the Honesdale Borough Council to put a policy in place for how and when it will distribute funds to avoid the problem in the future.
At a special council workshop meeting Monday, the presidents of Alert Hook and Ladder No. 2, Protection Engine No. 3 and the Captain of Alert No. 2 came to try to obtain an agreement from the council to develop a formal policy for how the fire company will be paid for their services.
Speaking on behalf of his comrades, Alert No. 2 President Robert Kretschmer said, “Our expenditures are skyrocketing, and we have to program our expenditures. We’re just asking that the Borough set a policy for how the money will be distributed and when. That’s all”
According to Kretschmer’s synopsis of the issue, in a Nov. 2010 meeting, the council budgeted $15,000 for Alert No. 2, but he said after the initial $8,000, the rest never came, despite his contention that there should be $13,450 left.
“We just want to resolve this and get a policy in place so we don’t have to come back and do this every year, asking for money,” Kretschmer went on, “We’re asking you to review the records for 2010 and 2011 and either let us have the $7,000 promised to us or divide what’s left in the pot between the four companies.”
After some discussion of approaching adjacent townships to pay a bit more for the mutual aid service Honesdale Fire Department provides than they currently do, Council President Michael O’Day said the council would have an answer for the fire company before the next regular meeting Sept. 5.
REGULAR MEETING
• Mike Augello, owner of Music and Video Express on Main Street — speaking on behalf of the Greater Honesdale Partnership (GHP) — said his organization has heard a lot of negative comments about the condition of the Christmas ornaments that line Main Street every year.
Because of the positive attention they believe the decorations can bring to the town, Augello said GHP has taken it upon itself to refurbish and/or replace the trees and bells we see hanging from the poles along Main Street.
The ornaments belong to the Borough, and Augello asked the council to consider buying the new ornaments and refurbishing materials now, while summer discounts are still available.
Between donations and fund drives GHP expects to repay the Borough for a cash expenditure not to exceed $19,000, which includes a $1,200 savings for buying now.
• Councilman Lee Garing reported that revenue has been less than anticipated recently while expenses have risen higher than expected, prompting Council President O’Day to say he would ask department heads to minimize expenditures as much as possible until the situation is rectified.
• A plea for the Borough to work harder with PennDOT on Church Street safety from a resident who said she was almost hit crossing the street one morning led into a discussion of the latest developments in this ongoing saga.
According to Councilman Bob Jennings, PennDOT says road safety is the Borough’s problem, and any proposal to return to two way traffic on Church and Main streets would have to be approved by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA) to get on PennDOT’s 12 year project list. Borough Solicitor Richard Henry said he thought safety interests might allow the project to be assigned a higher priority.
O’Day said a recent letter addressed to him from PennDOT quoted nearly a half million dollar cost for installation of three traffic lights in town, new crosswalks and curb ramps. The letter says the Borough would be responsible for absorbing that cost.
At their solicitor’s suggestion, the council members agreed to send a letter to PennDOT questioning their rationale in refusing to take responsibility for safety on their road, with the possibility of future action in the courts if they continue to get such unsatisfactory responses.
