Fire company merger has station at odds with Reading Township

Hampton Fire Company in Reading Township intends to merge with United Hook and Ladder Company 33, but the decision has the station at odds with Reading Township and might put their funding and coverage area at risk.

Hampton, after attempts to merge with East Berlin and Lake Meade fell through, decided to pursue United Hook because they had plans organized for Hampton’s future.

Reading Township supervisors don’t support the planned merger because they fear this will increase taxes and lock them into having to use United Hook in the future.

More than 80 members of the public — including firefighters from different stations — attended a Reading Township special public meeting on Oct. 18 where Supervisors traded proposals with Hampton Fire Company Vice President Jason Phillips.

By the end of the packed meeting, Hampton still intended to merge with United Hook and requested the supervisors discuss a proposal with United Hook.

People on all sides of the issues seemed frustrated with the lack of resolution by the end of the meeting. Residents in attendance, who voiced that they felt their opinions haven’t been heard, asked questions about taxes and fire service options.

Here’s what we know about the merger:

Why Reading Township doesn’t support a merger with United Hook

The three main fire companies that serve Reading Township — Hampton Fire Company, Liberty Fire Company in East Berlin and Lake Meade Fire and Rescue — started discussing a possible merger in 2016.

The idea came from the fire companies, and the Reading Township Board of Supervisors supported the idea, said Marcia Weaver, township vice chairperson.

All three companies have served Reading Township for years, and they are all familiar with the coverage area, she said.

The merger was appealing to the supervisors also because it meant that they would not be using an entity outside of the township.

“We wanted those who work within our township to be successful and work together,” Weaver said.

According to Phillips, Hampton saw little progress in the more than 12 months of meetings.

During the Oct. 18 meeting, a Lake Meade Fire and Rescue member refuted Phillips’ statement and said discussions were had about upgrading the Hampton Fire Hall, making Hampton their No. 1 station and not having to ask the township for additional funding.

In October 2017, Hampton met with United Hook to see how Hampton would fit into its program. In November 2017, Hampton members voted not to merge with Liberty and Lake Meade by a vote of 28-12.

United Hook representatives and the Hampton merger committee met with the Reading Township Supervisors multiple times from January 2018 to April 2018 to discuss the merger and the creation of a plan to secure funding from Reading Township.

The township attempted to schedule another meeting with Hampton members to discuss their new proposal, but “the officers of the Hampton Fire Company blocked us from meeting with them and the entire membership,” the supervisors stated in a letter.

However, Phillips stated that Hampton had informed the supervisors that they would no longer be scheduling additional special meetings, but they were welcome to attend their normal monthly meetings.

On May 10, 2018, Reading Township Supervisors announced at a special public meeting that they would not support the merger between Hampton and United Hook and would give Hampton’s territory and funding to Liberty Fire Company and Lake Meade Fire and Rescue.

The supervisors’ objections:

• They do not want to raise taxes;
• They want the social hall and baseball field to stay available to residents since the future of those structures were not clear in previous proposals;
• And they are concerned United Hook will become a monopoly, limiting any future decision by the township regarding fire service.

Hampton requested the supervisors reconsider their decision on multiple occasions but said the supervisors told them the decision was final.

Despite a possible lack of funding from Reading Township, at a monthly meeting on Sept. 4, United Hook voted to continue the merger with or without the funding, Hampton officials said.

What happens to the territory Hampton serves?

Hampton Fire Company currently serves about 50 percent of Reading Township, with Liberty Fire Company and Lake Meade Fire and Rescue serving the rest.

If Hampton Fire Company does not accept the supervisors’ new proposal, the supervisors will not give them territory in Reading Township, Weaver said. If Hampton merges with United Hook, the township will not fund them and will not use them as their fire service.

How does that affect residents? For example, if there is a fire across the street from the Hampton Fire Station, Liberty Fire Company and Lake Meade Fire and Rescue would be the departments called first to the scene.

But Phillips explained that no matter what happens in this merger, Hampton will provide mutual aid when they can.

However, if Hampton isn’t funded by the township, there is the possibility that Hampton would not have the resources to help with Reading Township’s territory. The station’s priority will be to those paying for their service.

As it stands now, Weaver said the township plans to continue paying Hampton’s workman’s compensation, which she believes would legally require Hampton to provide service when called.

Fire tax part of proposal

Hampton Fire Company receives an annual $26,500 donation and about $15,000 in workman’s compensation from Reading Township. The funding proposal from United Hook increases that amount to about $60,000 a year, which would include the workman’s compensation.

United Hook is asking the township to implement a .25 millage fire tax, which would be split between all the fire companies that serve Reading Township according to how much territory they cover.

Reading Township taxes are currently at about 2.537 mil. If the fire tax is implemented, property owners’ taxes would go up approximately $21 a year for properties valued at $100,000.

The fire tax would replace the donation from the township; it would not be in addition to it.

The township’s 2018 donation to Hampton is being held by the supervisors pending the outcome of the merger. The township also received a $15,000 donation for the Hampton Fire Company’s baseball field, which they are also holding pending the merger decision to ensure that the donation is used for what the donor intended.

Reading Township Supervisors made it clear during the Oct. 18 meeting that they want taxpayers’ money to stay within the township.

A resident pointed out that all the fire companies serve more municipalities than just Reading Township, so the tax dollars don’t stay exclusively in Reading Township.

Another resident asked the supervisors about the possibility of a per capita tax instead of a fire tax so that everyone would be paying into the fire department instead of just property owners.

The supervisors have looked into per capita taxes in the past, but Weaver’s understanding is that the state will not allow it. She also said that since they could not do a per capita tax, they looked into a local service tax, but with Reading Township not having many employers, the local service tax would not provide much funding.

A resident also asked about having a referendum on the ballot, so that the residents could vote to support Hampton Fire Company or not.

The supervisors did not consider a referendum, and Weaver said many times a referendum can’t be placed on a ballot for legal reasons.

If the supervisors wanted to poll the public, the solicitor said that they would have to do a separate vote through the mail themselves. Weaver said that would cost about $3,000, and there would be no oversight to ensure that the results are accurate.

What’s the next step?

Toward the end of the Oct. 18 meeting, members of Hampton Fire Company stood firm on merging with United Hook and rejected the supervisors proposal.

Hampton asked the supervisors to consider making a phone call to United Hook to discuss and negotiate the proposal.

United Hook representatives were unable to be reached for comment on the merger.

Reading Township Supervisors said they would table their decision to make the call.

Paperwork on the merger between Hampton and United Hook is being processed, and they hope it will be completed within three to four months, Phillips said.

The next township meeting is 6 p.m., Nov. 19 at 50 Church Road in East Berlin.

This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The Hanover Evening Sun.