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Jackson Township to end fire contract; Bettsville council warns $22,000 annual shortfall
Summary
Jackson Township has notified Bettsville it will cancel the mutual fire service contract after this year, creating an estimated $22,000 gap that council members said will require budget changes, new funding arrangements or creating a fire district.
The Bettsville village council was told this meeting that Jackson Township has sent notice it will cancel its fire-service contract at the end of the year, creating an estimated $22,000 annual revenue shortfall for village fire operations.
Council members said the letter from Jackson Township means Bettsville must reconsider how it funds local fire protection. “This is going to hurt $22,000 a year,” the Chair said, describing the township’s notice and the likely impact on next year’s budget.
Council discussion focused on three options: increase direct funding to the fire department from village coffers, pursue creation of a fire district shared among neighboring townships, or seek other interjurisdictional arrangements. Members noted forming a fire district is administratively complex and requires ballot action and voter approval, and that it is too late to place a new district on the upcoming ballot.
Several members also flagged a separate, longer-term problem: the region lacks sufficient volunteer staffing to guarantee coverage. That shortage, they said, magnifies the fiscal pressure caused by losing the township contract.
The Chair said officials and affected townships (Jackson and Liberty townships were named in the discussion) and other stakeholders have been alerted and will continue talks. Council members directed staff to re-evaluate the draft budget and return with options for how to cover the loss of contract revenue in the next fiscal year.
Next steps: the council agreed to review budget options and meet with relevant township leaders to explore shared solutions ahead of next year’s budget cycle.
