WEST MARLBOROUGH: Funding emergency services

To pay its "fair share" of ambulance and fire company expenditures, West Marlborough taxpayers' yearly contribution will need to jump from its current $17,000 a year to between $52,000 and $106,000.
That was the stark conclusion presented to township residents by the township's EMS Task Force on October 1.
The task force, comprising Phoebe Fisher, Clipper LaMotte, Nancy Truitt, Jake Chalfin and Hugh Lofting Sr., has been working since July 2018 to examine the budgets and activities of the emergency service providers that cover the township: Avondale Fire Company, Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company, Modena Fire Company, and Medics 93 and 94. They devised a "fair share" formula with three components: the assessed property value, the call volume and the population for each municipality.
The task force noted that under state law, townships must fund emergency services.
Mr. LaMotte said that even though funding volunteer companies is expensive, costs would skyrocket if paid emergency responders are ever needed to replace volunteers. "It's in our best interest to keep [volunteer companies] healthy," he said.
Several residents expressed their frustration that most of the accidents take place on state-maintained roads that they believe could be made safer. For instance, PennDOT will not approve the installation of guardrails along the notorious hill on Route 82 near Dupont Road.
Mr. LaMotte reminded the residents that the bulk of the companies' expenses are fixed and go toward maintaining the capacity to handle emergencies. Those fixed costs do not vary according to the number of calls.
Others thought it was unfair for West Marlborough residents to pay for accidents involving "outsiders." Some said car insurance companies should cover emergency services (Dr. Fisher said some do but the payment is inadequate).
The next step is for the township supervisors to review the recommended formula and analyze its tax implications.
State Rep. Christina Sappey attended the meeting and said the funding of emergency services is a statewide problem. "Your township has done more than a lot of municipalities," she told the audience.  
Amid the sobering numbers, there were moments of levity in the evening, which was attended by about 40 residents and representatives from local fire and ambulance companies. Before her talk, Dr. Fisher, a pediatric anesthesiologist, said, "My usual job is to put people to sleep" but hoped it did not carry over into her presentation. And at the end of the evening, the task force members were presented with boxes of Marlboro Mushrooms and a "key to the township," which Supervisor Bill Wylie said entitled them to a ride on the township road grader.

Supervisor Bill Wylie (left) presents Clipper LaMotte and Phoebe Fisher with the "keys to West Marlborough" and boxes of Marlboro Mushrooms. Photo courtesy of Clayton Bright.