WINFIELD TWP — The township supervisors are seeking proposals from volunteer fire departments to replace the Winfield Volunteer Fire Company, but have not ruled out staying with the township VFC.

Supervisor Matt Klabnik, board chairman, said the Winfield department has too many deficiencies, including lack of manpower and fiscal controls, to be effective.

“I have no doubt their heart is in the right place,” Klabnik said. “As an organization, they're just not in critical mass to be viable.”

He said surrounding departments often arrive first to the scene in Winfield due to the difficulty in mustering a response.

Klabnik also said the members should be undergoing more than the minimum amount of training.

Supervisor Glenn Nagle agreed the fire company needs to improve.

“We feel they need to step it up a little bit,” Nagle said.

Supervisor Mike Robb concurred the township must address the situation.

“From our perspective, it's a public safety issue,” Robb said.

He said there must be adequate fire service, which the fire company cannot ensure now.

“If they had the capacity to do that, we obviously would not be looking elsewhere,” Robb said.

He emphasized there are good people involved with the fire company, but changes need to be made.

The supervisors at the May 25 meeting voted unanimously to explore alternative fire protection services for the township.

They also directed township secretary Adam Hartwig to speak with township solicitor Mike Hnath about the process to no longer recognize the fire company as the primary responder for Winfield.

“We're open to any and all combinations that might come across with support,” Robb said.

Klabnik said one option is for the Winfield fire company to merge with another department.

He said another alternative is to enter agreements with surrounding departments — Herman, Buffalo and Saxonburg — to cover separate sections of the township.

Winfield Fire Chief Mike Remper, who started his tenure this year, said changes already are under way.

“It's a work in progress,” Remper said. “Rome wasn't built in a day.”

He said six new members recently joined the fire company, bringing the total number of active firefighters to 16.

Remper said all the new recruits are willing to undergo as much training as recommended.

“All are interested in taking classes,” he said.

Klabnik stressed the township has repeatedly tried to help the fire company with business practices and seeking grant funding to no avail.

“We tried to do different approaches,” Klabnik said.

He stressed the fire company has made no changes since money was embezzled from its coffers a couple years ago.

“We, as a board, have to provide fire service to residents,” Klabnik said.

Remper said the nearly $68,000 embezzlement, which was uncovered in 2015, was a big blow to the fire company.

“It was kind of rough,” he said.

Along with the money, all the paperwork was gone.

“We had no documentation of anything,” Remper said.

Robb said the township has been trying for years to convince the fire company to deal with recruitment, training and fiscal issues.

“We've been having conversations with the company for over 10 years,” he said.

Robb said grant money cannot be sought for such purchases as a new fire engine.

“We cannot show there are good financial controls over everything,” he said.

Robb said the department needs to develop an accounting structure.

“You have to have policies and practices to back that up on how it's flowing,” he said.

Remper said grant funding cannot be requested until the firefighters attain advanced certifications, which are necessary to obtain that funding.

“I want to get more guys trained,” he said.

Remper said the fire company will hold a fall festival to raise money.

He said the average cost to outfit a firefighter is $14,000.

“Stuff's not cheap anymore,” Remper said.

He said the fire company will accept any aid from volunteers, whether firefighting or helping on the business side.

“I will take anybody who will help us,” Remper said.

He said he is not opposed to an eventual merger with another fire department, but stressed that decision would have to be approved by the fire company as a whole.

Remper emphasized his overall goals are to have good community relations and have cooperation between the fire company and township.

“I know what it takes to keep a department afloat,” he said.

Remper plans to present a plan on addressing all issues to the township.

The supervisors said they are willing to work with the fire company.

Remper and the supervisors all expressed hope more residents would come forward to support the fire company.

Nagle said the board will listen to any public input from residents on how to further deal with the situation.