Bessemer city, township merging interests
By BRIANNE COOK news@yourdailyglobe.com
BESSEMER – The city and townships of Bessemer have begun taking steps toward consolidating their volunteer fire departments.
At a special joint session on Oct. 30, the Bessemer City Council and the Bessemer Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to create a committee to pursue firefighting grants and to determine how best to pursue merging the departments. They each approved $3,000 toward that end. The meeting in the Bessemer City Hall included Steven Selin, Bessemer Township fire chief, and Alec Nelson, newly appointed Bessemer city fire chief. Also representing Bessemer Township were supervisor Jeffery Randall, treasurer Lisa Hegbloom and assistant fire chief Nathan Ozzello.
Additional city representatives were city manager Mandy Lake; clerk/treasurer Samantha Zakovec; and Ben Tucker, director of Public Works and a city firefighter. City Council members also were present, with the exception of Mark Movrich.
“We’ve been talking about this idea for over two years,” said Selin, who noted that five members are shared among firefighters numbering 12 for the city and 14 for the township. He said that consolidating the departments would allow for better coordination of the limited pool of area firefighters.
Moreover, he suggested offering a stipend to all firefighters, so as to incentivize participation, rather than remaining as volunteer organizations.
According to Selin, state requirements are one good reason to offer stipends. He said that, at this time, new firefighters would need to attend 296 hours of training in order to fulfill Michigan’s requirements for training, which includes how to deal with hazardous wastes. That’s the equivalent of nearly eight 40-hour weeks. “That’s a lot of hours to ask for somebody as a volunteer and also working a daytime job and having a family,” said Selin.
City councilwoman Linda Nelson, who is the mother of the city’s new fire chief, pushed back on the idea that retention would require increased stipends. “You pay good money for people who want to work and nobody even wants to work, let alone volunteer,” she said. “I do understand where you’re coming from with that, but I think being a firefighter is more pride than it is the pocketbook.”
Even existing firefighters are being asked to attend 12 hours of inhouse training a year on average, for which BTVFD is compensating $4 per hour, plus the cost of materials. “As of right now there’s no repercussions for not getting hours,” said Ozzello, but he said losing certifications could be the price for not completing training.
Another issue is that most training is downstate. As a result, the township has been extending its two year timeframe for firefighters to be trained due to the difficulty of attending any courses that aren’t even in the U.P. Michigan would assist in funding training if members in either of the local departments decided to teach the required courses. “There is a training council up here – Gogebic County Fire Training Council,” said Selin. “We need to try to find people to step up to helping the members that are on these departments.”
Tucker added that departments must have met their own training qualifications in order for their members to be eligible to work as trainers. He also mentioned the possibility of state funding for a new fire hall. Neither department has adequate ventilation for vehicle exhaust. Nor does either department have space for combination tanker and engine trucks, which are necessarily longer. Such vehicles, which both departments would like to have, improve outcomes with structure fires too far from the nearest fire hydrant. It was estimated that a new fire hall should be build on four acres to allow for expansion if additional departments consolidate or if the area experiences population growth. Both departments also now use equipment that is older than optimal.
Selin noted that the last time either purchased gear was in 2015. Self-contained breathing apparatus is considered safe for only two more years until the standards change again. One reason to delay department consolidation is potential for grants. Tucker said that it would be better to figure out which grants they should pursue and then either remain separate departments or consolidate, depending on what would make it easier to receive funding.
Alec Nelson also anticipates the eventual, possible need for a millage. The total of $6,000 contributed by the city and township toward an anticipated merging of the fire departments will be held by Bessemer Township because its lawyer, Ryand and Lynch Law, based in Iron Mountain, will handle related legal proceedings. The new joint committee will meet every month, and since it will not be spending money, no tiebreaking requirements are needed.
Committee members will include both fire chiefs, along with a city council member, a township trustee, and two atlarge members. At a separate Oct. 27 meeting of the City Council, Lake said that the costs of maintaining two departments, along with storage limitations and declines in volunteers and population, make the prospect of consolidation a sensible alternative. “I don’t think that anyone wants to consolidate, but we know the time’s come,” said Linda Nelson.