Ordinance 03-2023
In spite of a request from borough resident Mark Fisher to delay at least until the next meeting to allow for further consideration, the Borough Council unanimously declined to consider a more generous increase in LOSAP for emergency volunteers in the borough.
Fisher spoke during the public hearing preceding the adoption of Ordinance 03-2023 which amended the fire department length of service award program (LOSAP) to increase the maximum number of points that can be earned annually for department membership.
Fisher, a 40 year veteran of volunteer firefighting, asked that the ordinance be amended before final adoption to include a larger CPI than the approximate $100 currently in their agreement.
90K
To support his belief the amendment should be included in a new ordinance, he pointed out the borough pays approximately $90,000 a year for the JFK Hospital ambulance to come in to supplement the volunteers, with those employees receiving an automatic annual cost of living increase. Therefore, council should consider that volunteers should at least be considered a cost of living increase more than the $100 in the point system the ordinance would generate. Fisher said the point system itself appears reasonable and unobjectionable to him, but he strongly believes volunteers should be considered for higher compensation.
While no one objected to higher compensation for volunteers, Councilman Jon Crowley said it could be considered in the future but delaying this code until the next meeting is wrong because “the clock is ticking.” Councilman Brian Dougherty said the matter was brought to the volunteers and they were very happy with it.
Fisher pointed out additional benefits of investments and the fact that only 50 of the 90 LOSAP eligible volunteers got it last year and urged once again that further consideration be given before adoption.
Fisher’s pleas did not change any minds on the governing body, with Crowley making the motion to approve and Councilman Vito Colasurdo seconding the motion.
