Akron.com

Copley fire chief addresses staffing issues



COPLEY — Copley Township Fire Department’s total service runs thus far this year have exceeded 2021 runs by 30, along with overtime hours, according to Copley Fire Chief Chris Bower.
Bower reported at the May 9 Copley Township Board of Trustees meeting the department simultaneously continues to struggle to fill part-time positions.
“The first three months of last year we had 802 overtime hours [compared to] 995 hours [so far this year],” Bower said. “This is entirely due to losing part-time personnel. We are currently at an all-time low [with] 21 part-time personnel.”
He added this has also impacted the department’s ability to hire more full-time firemedics, and he and Assistant Chief Steve Blasdel have recently begun to “supplement” some open shifts.
Bower stated the difficulty in finding part-time fire personnel is industry-wide.
“People are not applying,” he said. “We have advertised to local colleges and universities and sent 50 letters to fire departments in Medina, Stark and Wayne counties. We could not track one application.”
Bower stated Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has announced a $70 million in grant funding to address police and fire department recruitment and retention, as well as wellness and mental health of safety service personnel statewide, but the situation is pressing.
“I just wanted to put it in perspective for you guys. It’s not getting better,” Bower said.
Also at the meeting, Administrator Janice Marshall updated trustees on a four-month study of a dispatch cost-sharing formula for Southwest Summit Communications (SWSCOM), which handles police, fire and EMS calls for Copley, Springfield Township and the cities of Barberton and Norton.
Marshall said the committee considered both alternate cost-sharing options and whether transitioning to a still-developing Summit County dispatch service would better benefit SWSCOM communities.
“After considerable research, the committee concluded that SWSCOM is the most efficient, cost-effective operation for dispatch for the four communities involved and provides quality service for our safety forces and our residents,” Marshall said. “The report offers four different cost-sharing formulas for consideration that will be discussed among the community representatives that form the Southwest Summit Council of Governments.”
Marshall said currently cost sharing is based on call volume, population and property valuation. The alternatives include dividing fees between a shared “capital costs” fund and individual call-volume per community; basing police dispatch calls, which represent 65 percent of all calls, on population and fire calls, which represent 35 percent of calls, on call volume; basing fees on calls only; and basing fees on population only.
Trustee Scott Dressler stated each alternate cost-sharing plan saves Copley between $15,000 and $175,000 per year. Trustees Jim Schulte and Bruce Koellner added the call-volume-only, or 65/35 police-fire calls split, would be best for both Copley and for encouraging other communities to join SWSCOM. Koellner said the township may eventually be “naturally absorbed” into the Summit County Dispatch program, but it is premature to join at this time.
Also during the meeting, Community and Economic Development Director Loudan Klein reported the design for 85 parking spaces on township-leased property adjacent to Copley-Fairlawn Middle School is underway and the project is “working its way through the permitting process [and] there have been no hurdles or anything.”
Schulte asked if electric charging stations are part of the plan and if landscaping could be added along the southern side of the lot. Klein said charging stations are not currently part of the plan but running electric to the site for lighting is. He said electric car charging stations and the landscaping could be considered.
Klein also reported 19 permits were issued in April, the highest number to date this year, and seven applications were reviewed by the Architectural Review Board in April, “indicating a trend for business’ expansions.”
Trustees also approved:
• an agreement with police sergeants for the 2022-24 collective bargaining agreement, including a 4 percent wage increase and an adjustment to the contracted sick-time buyout at retirement or termination of employment to allow up to 500 hours at full pay and 25 percent of pay after that;
• extending conditional offers of employment to full-time police officers Ryan Mack, Jerrell Vincent, Sean Schroger and Derrick Brown, pending successful completion of prehire testing;
• the encumbrance of $500,000 for 2022 road improvement projects;
• accepting a ReWorks Community Recycling Grant of $17,235 for township recycle center employee salaries and brush removal;
• advertising for bids for a two-year cleaning contract for township administrative offices, Fire Station 1, Police Department and Service Department buildings; and
• posting signs in Copley Community Park on the prevention of mosquito and tick bites. Service Director Greg Tracy said tick bites are currently up this year over last year.
Copley trustees next regular meeting will be May 23 at 6 p.m. at Copley Township Hall, 1540 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road. The meeting is also available for viewing at www.copley.oh.us, under “Government” and “Board of Trustees Meeting Videos.”