WAYNE HEIGHTS—Washington Township and Borough of Waynesboro officials have reached an agreement for Fire Service after more than four months of negotiations.
The agreement sets the dollar amount the borough charges the township for fire service for a portion of the township using a formula dating to the 1970s with an annual “escalator” clause.
The new three-year contract has Washington Township paying the Borough $150,000 in 2022, $166,843 in 2023 and $185,380 in 2024.
The cost to the township for fire service in 2021 was $103,100.
Washington Township also pays the Blue Ridge Summit Fire and Rescue Company for both fire and ambulance services and Blue Ridge covers a sizeable part of the township’s population while Waynesboro covers the remainder.
The Waynesboro Ambulance Squad, a separate entity also provides ambulance services to the township and is not part of the agreement with Waynesboro.
Both departments, as well as surrounding fire departments, provide Mutual Aid to all locations of the township, meaning multiple companies respond to incidents when needed.
As part of the contract, the borough has agreed to continue the practice started earlier this year of having the Waynesboro Fire Chief or his designee attend at least one township Board of Supervisors’ meetings each month and provide an overview of fire services provided in the township during that month.
The Fire Chief will also continue to provide a written monthly report to the board, and the borough will provide the township with an electronic copy of its annual budget and annual audited financial statements.
The borough also agreed to give the township 10 days to provide input to an unbudgeted fire expense in the amount of $20,000 or more.
The two municipalities also agreed to begin discussing an amendment or successor agreement in February of 2024.
