Township: Union Fire Co. Operations Reinstated, Hackman New Chief
Union leaders, members said Thursday they did not agree with township's choice of Hackman
The volunteer Union Fire Co. is operating again with a new chief handpicked by the township.
The township Department of Public Safety sent out a short press release Friday evening saying it had reinstated the operations of the volunteer fire company after reaching an agreement with Union to have Ray Hackman as its new chief. In addition, the release stated, Union Fire Co. has agreed to have a township oversight board put in place.
Just the night before, leaders and members of Union said they did not want Hackman as their chief.
Union had its operations suspended Monday, with township Public Safety Director Fred Harran saying the volunteer company on State Road had failed to follow township directives over 18 months. That included, he said, delaying the sharing of water with township paid firefighters at an April fire.
That was followed by emotionally charged meetings Wednesday and Thursday put on respectively by the fire company and the township. Big crowds turned out at both sessions to express their fear for their safety and criticize the township action.
Harran elaborated Thursday, saying among other things that Union members had engaged in unsafe maneuvers at fire scenes – “they put lives in jeopardy,” he said – and refused to provide the township with names of members for background checks.
At Thursday night's meeting, Harran revealed that the company suspension would be lifted if it agreed to a mayor-appointed oversight board and removed Union Fire Chief Vince Troisi and replaced him with Ray Hackman.
He said he chose Hackman because he has known him a long time and feels he would work well with the township.
Despite Hackman's 16 years as a Union member, company President Steve Carmichael responded that he didn't want anyone “shoved down my guys' throats. And other members said they have no trust in Hackman.
Besieged by angry residents, Harran said he would agree to immediately accept names of other potential chiefs from Carmichael in another closed-door session between the two men. But Friday the township announced Hackman, coordinator of the county haz-mat unit, is the new Union chief.
Multiple attempts to reach Carmichael, Troisi, Hackman and Harran were unsuccessful Friday.
Harran did say Thursday that an oversight board might ultimately suggest Troisi be reinstated as chief and, if so, the township would take that under consideration.
Troisi testified on behalf of former township police officer Perry Ferrara in 2009 when the latter unsuccessfully sued the township for his demotion. That testimony by some accounts put Harran in a bad light. And Ferrara is a grant writer for the Union Fire Co.
Harran has said he holds no personal grudges against Troisi or Union.
“The township wants to end this suspension as quickly as possible,” Harran told a crowd of about 100 at Penn Ryn Mansion on Thursday night.
Jael
11:40 am on Saturday, June 18, 2011
There is something VERY fishy as to how this ended with EVERYTHING going Harran's way. All i can say, is that a great deal of residents in that area are not thrilled with him, and want him OUT!! Guys, we need to organize, plan, and go to war against this town, and the corrupt people running it. I urge you to tell your neighbors, and everyone you know and meet in this town, that the best way to do this, is to let everyone know that Kisselback and Knowles need to go, and that is where we start. with Szafran gone, there is a seat open, and this is an open call to anyone willing to serve, willing to make a difference to run for his vacant seat. Its time to.....VOTE THE RATS OUT!!
Mrs. X
1:52 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2011
Harran is the public safety director yet he felt that it was totally safe to shut down the Union Fire co. --Right. I have followed this story since the beginning and read the Union Fire co. response to what happened and I have to agree that something is not quite right. Allow the Union firefighters to pick their own chief - someone they can trust and look to to lead them. Just having Harran pick someone is not going to sit well. Harran comes across as someone who likes the limelight and being in the news. I agree that it is time to vote a new seat of government. I didn't know we were voting in a lifetime mayor and council. Isn't there term limits?
Mr. B
9:09 am on Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Somebuddy's buddy needed a job. Talk about abuse of power!!!! Just how much more blatant could someone be, to do this right in front of all to see.