Hiram Township is opening its own fire department, despite ongoing mediation with Hiram Village, which had long overseen fire services for both the village and township.
Earlier this year, a dispute took place between Hiram Mayor Anne Haynam and former Hiram Fire Department Chief Bill Byers. The Hiram Firefighters Association then issued a motion of no confidence against Haynam due to disputes over payroll, staffing, maintenance and communication.
As a result of the dispute, Byers, along with the assistant chief and captain, resigned in February, and Haynam temporarily shut down the department. Interim Fire Chief Anthony Marotta was hired in April and sworn in as the official fire chief on Sept. 1.
Hiram Township Chairman Jack Groselle said shifting emergency coverage over to mutual aid partners during the shutdown in March negated public safety. It was then that Groselle decided it was time to begin thinking about opening a township fire department if a resolution couldn't be reached between the village and the township.
“Soon after she closed the fire department down, so it couldn’t even operate, we knew then there was a huge problem and people are not getting service,” Groselle said. “That’s when it really came to light that we needed to do something.”
Following the dispute, the village and the township entered into talks in an attempt to cultivate a working relationship regarding how to operate the Hiram Fire Department. When they were unable to agree on a resolution, the two parties entered into mediation on Sept. 4, as specified by their contract.
“The contract lays out that first we go to nonbinding mediation,” Haynam said. “The village voted to move to this step with the intent of finding an agreement that would be both cost effective and provide the level of service we expect for Hiram residents.”
Groselle said the mediation session on Sept. 4 was helpful. In general, municipal mediations are confidential, so nothing has been released regarding what occurred at the meeting.
“We had a good day with the mediation, that’s all I can say, but we’re hopeful,” Groselle said. “The township wants to keep the thing together and work together with the village, but whether that can happen or not is up to the village.”
Another mediation was scheduled to take place on Sept. 18, but Haynam said on Sept. 16 that the mediation was cancelled for an unspecified reason.
Regardless, over a month ago, the township officially decided it was time to open a township fire department, starting Oct. 1.
“On Oct. 1, we will be a fire department at Hiram Township,” Groselle said. “The village wants us to postpone it and not do it, but that’s just not going to happen. We promised people we’d do it. We actually have more people that will be working for us than the village has working for them. A lot of people that quit the village because of the mayor or the chief are working for us. It’s a matter of are we going to be covering the village, too. Can’t tell you yet; we’re still working on that part.”
The township has appointed Windham Fire Chief Nick Bushek as the fire chief for its department. So far, it has 22 staff members and has also bought a fire truck and an ambulance. The department will be run out of the Hiram Township garage at 6352 state Route 82 in Hiram.
Groselle said as of Oct. 1, the Hiram Village Fire Department won’t be taking calls for the township.
Haynam said she’s unsure why the township is rushing to open a township fire department during mediation. She said the village fire department has better coverage now than it did at the beginning of the year.
“What’s their rush?” Haynam said. “How do you say you want to work out a deal and run off in your own direction? How is this responsible use of taxpayer dollars? What type of coverage are they guaranteeing their residents? We have a paramedic as chief and recognize the importance of two staff on site. Will their facility meet state codes for a new station, as well as residence codes for overnight? Why try to borrow turnout gear from Troy as opposed to working on the relationship with the village? Basically there are more questions about this move than answers. Public safety is at risk, in addition to responsible use of taxpayer dollars. Contradictions.”
Groselle said it’s not true that the Hiram Village Fire Department has better coverage now than it did at the beginning of the year.
“I know what coverage they have and they don’t have enough people,” Groselle said. “They don’t have enough employees. We have better coverage than the village and are more professional. They don’t have two staff on site a lot of the time; sometimes they don’t even have one.”
Haynam said Groselle is blatantly wrong regarding staffing.
Groselle also said the township fire department facility doesn’t need to meet state or residence codes, because there’s no such thing.
“The firefighters that are signing up with us are extremely happy about the living quarters that we have, compared to what the village has,” Groselle said. “They’re very excited about this.”