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CANFIELD -- Cardinal Joint Fire District Chief Don Hutchison told the fire board at its meeting Monday that if Boardman decides to join the district, the Canfield dispatchers likely would need their contracts renegotiated because of the increase in call volume.
Dispatchers received a 2% raise in their most recent contract, and CJFD legal counsel David "Chip" Comstock said if Boardman decides to join the district, the number of calls would go up and a discussion would have to take place at that time.
"If Boardman joins, the dispatch services are still with Canfield as long as there is a contract with the city," Comstock said. "It is what it is."
He said Boardman would not be merging with the CJFD. He said Boardman would be joining, or becoming a part of the CJFD.
Former fire board member John Morvay was in attendance and was asked his opinion. Morvay said having Boardman join would put the district in a good position.
"I know it will work," he told board members. "We just have to work through it and get there."
He said one of the big issues is equipment. If Boardman joins, there would be duplication of equipment that could save up to $3 million a year.
"We would not need backup vehicles in both Boardman and Canfield. We would only need one for the district," Morvay said.
On the personnel side, the district could end up with six stations. Hutchison said that would double the chances for promotions and advancement within the CJFD.
Comstock said the combining of departments is happening all over the country. He mentioned Harrison County, which started with a district combining three entities. Today that fire district has 14 departments combined into one regional fire district.
"We want to be the front runners," Russo said.
CJFD board member Denise Harlan said, "Boardman hired firefighters and sent them to paramedic training. They have purchased an ambulance and have shown they want to be a player."
In a related matter, Hutchison reported on the district's oldest ambulance -- a 2017 Ford with 64,000 miles on it. He said every few months, he tries to send one ambulance in for inspection. The Ford went to Columbiana Ford this month and came back with four red marks regarding cracked brakes and rotors, problems with the EGR system and several oil leaks. The repair bill total is $8,300, which the board unanimously approved to pay.
New city council representative Christine Oliver and township citizen representative David Knarr were sworn in, followed by a selection of board officers. Resident Richard Russo was selected to continue as the fifth board elected member, and was voted as chairman.
Hutchison reported the 2023 total calls (fire and EMS) were at 2,777, of which 1,332 were ambulance calls.
"That was 242 more calls in 2023 over 2022," Hutchison said. "Our total fire loss in 2023 was $189,000. We saved $1.7 million in property loss."