Summit Township received about $27,000 through the state Fire Relief Aid fund, which they allocated at a meeting Wednesday, Nov. 1, to the two volunteer fire departments that cover the township.

The supervisors voted to give Lick Hill Community Fire Department $100, and Herman Volunteer Fire Company the rest of the money.

Willie Adams, chairman of the Summit Township supervisors, said the supervisors have a stipulation for the Fire Relief Aid money that asks both departments to have their equipment tested and approved for use by a third party each year. According to Adams, the Lick Hill department did not have its equipment tested this year, and other volunteer fire departments have raised issues with some of its equipment.

“Some neighboring fire departments were not trusting their equipment, so that's why we put the stipulation on; we wanted it to be tested by a third party tester,” Adams said of Lick Hill. “Last year they complied, but this year they did not. We told them if they did not, we would withhold the Fire Relief Aid money, and we did.”

The two fire departments cover different portions of Summit Township, Adams said — Lick Hill has the area north of Route 422, and Herman covers Route 422 and the area south of it.

At the supervisors’ Oct. 3 meeting, supervisors voted to request that both fire departments submit an audit report to the township by Nov. 4. Adams said Herman has submitted a report, but Lick Hill has not.

“We got one from Herman, but we did not hear from Lick Hill,” Adams said. “They still have a few days yet.”

Also at the Wednesday meeting, the supervisors approved an agreement with Jefferson Township, which has plans to seal coat its portion of Bonniebrook Road by next July. Township secretary Roxann Stickney said Summit will pay the contractor, Russell Standard, nearly $24,500 out of the total $77,800 project cost, which covers the portion of the road in Summit Township. She said the work has to be completed by July.

“They are sealing their portion; we said, ‘Why not while the people are there, seal our portion also,’” Adams said. “It works out for both (townships) to do it at the same time.”