In Brief: Plymouth Township Trustees Nix Fire Budget Discussion

If the handful of firefighters and residents gathered in the meeting chambers at township hall Tuesday night expected to learn more about the budget that is inextricably linked to firefighter jobs, the information was not forthcoming.

That’s because shortly after the regular meeting of the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees began at 7 pm, the governing body removed the issue from the agenda.

Supervisor Richard Reaume said the issue was taken off the agenda because the board wanted to discuss recent changes to the state’s public safety arbitration law – known as Public Act 312 – with its attorney in a closed session that took place later in the evening.

“There are some changes, and we're going to discuss that right now, so we’re taking it off the agenda,” he said.

Firefighters who attended the meeting were not informed earlier that the budget was being removed from the agenda.

"I’m as surprised as everyone else,” said Greg Mangan, the treasurer of the Plymouth Township Firefighters Local 1496. “We weren’t told anything about this.”

Currently, there are two overriding issues facing the township and its firefighters. The end of the fire services agreement with the City Of Plymouth on Dec. 31 has pitted the township’s desire to introduce part-time and on call firefighters, among others issues, against the union’s efforts to preserve jobs by expanding medical transports.

Additionally, the firefighters and the township are heading to binding arbitration for its collective bargaining agreement next week. The decision made by an independent arbitrator is binding to both parties.