After a year and a half on the books, the Fairmount Fire Company is asking Lansdale Borough to consider increasing a contribution meant to help retain and recruit firefighters.
"We recently received a request from the fire department to increase our contribution to their stipend program, from $50,000 a year to $75,000 a year," said Borough Manager John Ernst.
"Their feeling is that the program is working, and they indicated that they have eight new volunteers, taking advantage of the program," he said.
Talks on a contribution of borough tax dollars to the fire company began in late 2017, when council and the firefighters discussed how the state's Act 172 of 2016 authorized local municipalities to offer discounts on local taxes for emergency responders. At that time, Fairmount suggested the borough instead make a donation toward the costs of a stipend program already administered by the company, wherein the firefighters receive a small amount for each incident they work or attend.