Montgomery Township supervisors table decision on outside study of proposed fire department expansion

Montgomery Township — The Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors voted to table a decision on whether to hire an outside consultant to review the fire department's proposed move toward 19 full-time career firefighters, citing the need for more information and time for public outreach.

Carolyn McCreery, a township staff member who gathered comparative proposals, told the board she contacted three firms and provided a uniform scope focused on staffing. She said Espirit Consulting Group quoted between $16,500 and $23,004.50 (not to exceed $25,000) with a 6—week turnaround; Municipal Resources Inc. (MRI) quoted $25,000 plus travel and expenses and would require a site visit; and the Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM) proposed $47,560 with a 3—month timeline that would include stakeholder presentations.

The debate centered on whether an independent review would add value beyond the chief's plan and whether a consultant's broader approach—covering station location, long-term capital and regional options—was warranted before the 2026 budget. "We were really hoping that tonight we would get some consensus in the form of a motion as to whether we're moving forward with the study or not," McCreery said.

Residents and board members gave contrasting views during public comment. Omar Lozardo, a Montgomery Crossing resident, urged the board to hire a consultant to develop and publicly justify options rather than rely solely on the chief's proposal. Lozardo said switching to a 24/48 shift schedule, rather than the proposed 24/72 model, could reduce first-year costs by about $700,000. "What does that gain you? It gains you $700,000 in savings," Lozardo told the board.

Chief Wegman defended the staffing proposal and the choice of shifts. "24/72 is where most fire departments our size are moving to, because of the impact on employee mental health and well-being and firefighter recovery," he said, adding that the PA Career Fire Chiefs Association reviewed his plan and recommended including context on the decline in volunteerism.

Supervisors questioned data consistency and the scope of the proposed study. One supervisor noted a discrepancy between the township's annual report and website figures for calls for service and urged clarity: "When we're looking at numbers, I wanna make sure that there's clarity around those numbers," the supervisor said. Staff confirmed call counts used in planning included 760 responses in 2022, 789 in 2023 and 908 in 2024.

Labor and implementation constraints were also discussed. Staff told the board the union had agreed to reopen the contract for a 24/72 schedule for 2026—2028 but would not consent to reopening for a 24/48 schedule, and that unilateral schedule changes could prompt grievances under labor law.

Several speakers, including Janine Hurry, a resident who asked about regionalization, urged the board to use a consultant's broader perspective to compare neighboring departments and to analyze long-term capital needs and station siting.

With budget deadlines approaching, supervisors weighed the timing trade-offs. One supervisor said she was not ready to make a motion and wanted more time to review the largest proposal. Ultimately Supervisor (Speaker 1) moved to table the consultant decision until the next regular meeting; Supervisor (Speaker 2) seconded, and the motion passed.

The board did not approve or reject the chief's staffing plan at the meeting; it deferred a final choice on hiring outside consultants and said the item will return on the next publicly posted agenda so residents can follow and comment.