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Andrews closer to fire pact with Hgtn. Twp.

The Andrews Town Council moved closer to agreeing on a contract to provide fire protection to Huntington Township during its Monday, Jan. 13, meeting.

Huntington Township Trustee Tim Guy notified council that a contract spanning April 2014 to April 2015 was prepared and available for council and the town's legal counsel to review. Guy stated that he would send copies of the contract to Clerk-Treasurer Bill Johnson, who would then distribute them to council members and the town's attorney, Michael Hartburg.

Johnson said that Hartburg would be present at council's next meeting, on Monday, Jan. 27, making that date an ideal time to vote on the contract, with council and Hartburg being able to discuss the document in person after having had ample time to review it independently by that point.

Council members said their biggest reservation about entering into a contract with the township hinged on the status of the township's current fire protection contract with the city of Huntington and business between the two entities being settled. Guy addressed that concern, explaining that the township had issued Huntington Mayor Brooks Fetters a 90-day notice of its intention to dissolve the contract in a letter mailed out earlier that day.

The township's contract with the city stipulates that it provides two fire trucks for the city's use and Guy commented that the township was in talks to sell one of those vehicles to the city while retaining the other.
Council members explained to citizens at the meeting that money the township would pay the town in the prospective contract would cover the costs of hiring six new individuals for the town's volunteer fire department, as well as any other costs associated with agreeing to the contract.

Councilman John Harsh- barger estimated that 90 percent of the calls received by the volunteer fire department were first responder calls. As such, Harshbarger said that it will be emphasized during the hiring process that the six new firefighters also be first responders.
"You don't go out and hire people who can only do 10 percent of your work," said Harshbarger.

Tom Wuensch, fire chief of the Andrews Volunteer Fire Department, said he had so far received eight applications.

A utility planning grant was discussed that will pay an engineering firm to prioritize the town's utility infrastructure needs. Council intends to submit a request for qualification to area firms and will use the information that they submit back to determine who will be awarded the grant.

Johnson commented that the grant will be awarded based on qualifications, rather than to the lowest bidder.

The owners of the former Dana building made a request to council regarding the building's sprinkler system being shut off, Johnson said. The town currently provides water to the system and charges the owners $1,354 annually for that service. Council said that while it would still have to charge the owners a service fee for this year, it would locate the appropriate shutoff valve and end water service to the system, thereby eliminating the fee going forward.

A citizen asked council if it would be providing an allowance on the upcoming water bill for citizens who left their water running during the recent snowstorm so that their pipes did not freeze. Johnson explained that there would be no allowance, primarily because the impact of that action on one's water bill would not be noticeable.

Councilman Ray Tackett praised the utility department for its work in keeping roads clean during the storm. Tackett also suggested that because of the subzero temperatures that came in the wake of the storm, it would a good idea for the town to have a designated warming center for citizens to use.

In other business:

• Harshbarger nominated Councilman Mike Rohler for the council presidency. Tackett seconded the nomination and Rohler accepted the office.

• Council determined that town employees who did not use all of their allotted vacation days in 2013 would be compensated monetarily. The rate for salaried workers will be based on a breakdown of their hours while the rate for hourly workers will be based on what their 2013 hourly wage was.

• The town is finalizing paperwork to sign a seven-year lease agreement with PNC Bank to pay for the utility department's new radio read meters. So far, the meters have been installed on 40 percent of the houses in town, Utility Superintendent Colin Bullock said.

• Council voted to retain DeLaney Hartburg Roth and Garrott LLC as the town's legal counsel for 2014 and also to send area media a notice informing them of the council's meeting dates for the year.