by justin strawser
MOUNT CARMEL - After months of "will they, won't they" drama on the possible merger of American Hose and Chemical Fire Company and West End Fire Company, borough council members are prepared to take matters into their own hands and offer an ultimatum.
"We can't let them figure it out anymore," borough President Tony Matulewicz said Friday. "If they can't figure it out, we're going to figure it out for them. It's gone on too long."
Talks to merge West End, established in 1915, and American Hose, established in 1898, began more than a year ago, sparked by a shortage of firefighters and social membership.
American hose, said President Jim Reed, has 12 to 15 active volunteer firemen and a board of four trustees with an open position.
It was previously reported by West End President and borough councilman Robert Shirmer that both West End, located on North Vide Street, and American Hose, located on South Vine Street, must negotiate the terms of the merger. Certain questions - such as who would serve as officers, which charter would be followed and whose liquor license would be used in the social club - needed answered.
The American Hose social hall is larger, and the combined companies would bring in more patrons, it was predicted. Currently, both social halls are closed.
However, talks have stalled amid various problems, including neither side agreeing on answers to the aforementioned questions.
Then, American Hose, already locked in two lawsuits, saw its former ambulance committee chairperson Thea Tafner plead guilty in January to federal charges of embezzling up to $2.5 million from the company over a 10-year period. West End backed off on a merger, not wanting to assume any liabilities for the pending lawsuits and Tafner's case.
But West End has its own problems, from extensive roof damage to broken radiators to damaged trucks. Council has been hesitant to distribute the insurance money to a fire company that might soon merge with another.
In fact, an 11th-hour grant to fix the truck was secured in March that saved the West End from closing permanently.
The merger is not off the table, said Reed.
"It's the timing. We have to figure out the 'how to' and the who," he said.
Shirmer could not be reached for comment Friday.
An upper hand: Funding
"It (the merger) would be better for everyone. The main thing is fire protection for the town. It's not about bars or clubs or identities," said Matulewicz.
Since the fire companies are chartered organizations, borough council can't technically make them to merge, he said, but council has one weapon in their arsenal to force their hand: funding.
Either merge or the money is cut, council members suggested in a discussion about the issue at their meeting Thursday night.
Each of the four fire companies in the borough - American, West End, Clover Hose and Anthracite Steam - are provided with $2,625 each per year for utilities and $4,000 each per year for equipment.
"Council will not continue to fund two full-sized buildings when they're barely used and membership is decreasing each year," said Matulewicz.
It's time for the merger to actually take place, he said.
"It's a matter of economics. We tried to let it take its course, but nothing is happening after months of meetings. This is the ultimatum," said Matulewicz.
Mayor J. Kevin Jones, who was recently appointed to act as liaison between the council and American Hose, agreed with the president's assessment.
"They need to seriously sit down and talk. Otherwise, council will make the decision without them," he said.
Jones said the merger is a matter of budget hardships and doesn't think fire protection will suffer.
"Our concern is we have two fire companies limping along. Everything is dying in the two companies and we want to revive them," he said.
He fears that firemen of West End, in danger of folding more than American Hose, will be taken on by the other two companies, leaving American Hose with only a handful of inactive people.
A four-person building committee - Jones and Councilmen Gary Hixson Jr., Clem Plisiewicz and Leroy "Chico" Moser - will meet with officials from the fire companies at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at borough hall, Fourth and Vine streets. The meeting is open to the public, but no votes will be taken.
Reed said he wasn't aware of the meeting when contacted Sunday.
"I haven't been notified of any meeting. Not by phone, not by e-mail or anything," he said.