SUMMIT TWP — Nine volunteer firefighters were granted tax credits worth up to $250 at Wednesday's supervisors meeting.

Such tax exemptions are meant to improve diminishing numbers of volunteer firefighters throughout the state. Participating municipalities, like Summit Township, forego collecting their share of cash from earned income tax revenue in hopes of shoring up a few new volunteers or persuading existing ones to stay.

Supervisors approved four firefighters from the Lick Hill Volunteer Fire Department and five from the Herman Volunteer Fire Company.

Supervisor Rick Green asked whether departments performed any kind of auditing to ensure the firefighters participate to a level that makes them eligible for the credits. Dave Barry, a director with the Herman VFC, said they monitor which volunteers are at every meeting and every emergency call and track participation in spreadsheets.

Solicitor Mike Gallagher noted that the tax credit reports are submitted under the penalty of perjury.

Barry attended the meeting in part to ask about another bit of fire company business: an old brush truck from 1989 likely needs replacing, and he wanted to know if the township might offer financial help. “The only reason we're looking at replacing it is we were at a fire earlier this year, and the exhaust from the pump broke off, shorted wires out and caught the truck on fire,” Barry said.

The board had little immediate help to offer, but planned to share a county infrastructure contact with Barry and to look for grant funding. The truck fire occurred in April and hurt no one. Barry said they're looking at spending about $90,000 for the truck and needed outfittings. “I think that's outrageous, but that's the going price,” he said.

Larry Osche, a supervisor and the township's roadmaster, shared in his report that a resident on Portman Road had complained about a storm drain. The resident, whom Osche declined to name, had apparently complained of hypodermic needles washing down the drain. Osche said the resident wanted the township to pay for new, additional pipe on his land. “I can't see the whole township buying him pipe,” said Willie Adams, the board's chairman.

Osche and Green agreed with Adams, and the board took no further action on it.

The board approved its 2019 budget at its last meeting. The township retained its existing tax rate of 6.13 mills.