Newtown Borough Council heard more on the future of its fire services agreement with Newtown Township at its September meeting, as the current contract is set to expire at the end of 2025.
Earlier this year, the borough gave notice of termination to restructure the arrangement.
Council President Emily Heinz explained the rationale.
“We notified them that we were terminating our current agreement, which ends at the end of this year, in order to have a restructured, much simpler agreement for 2026 and moving forward,” she said.
The borough’s Fire Services Committee, with assistance from Borough Manager Craig Totaro, presented a proposal to Newtown Township Supervisors on August 15.
The plan outlined annual contributions for 2026, 2027, and 2028, based on borough revenue limitations and the goal of keeping tax increases manageable for residents.
Currently, the Borough contributes $189,712 annually. Under the proposal, payments would increase to $227,654 in 2026, $250,419 in 2027, and $275,484 in 2028.
The contributions are structured as a “fee-for-service” agreement, giving the township flexibility to allocate funds as needed for fire protection and services.
Heinz said that while the increases are substantial, they remain within the borough’s capacity.
“These numbers will still mean that we need to take some money from the general fund to fund fire services. The tax millage increase for 2026 would be just under a mill,” she said.
However, negotiations are ongoing. The township has requested higher contributions than the borough is currently prepared to commit. Council members acknowledged that the final figure is still under discussion.
“We will talk with the council about working on the number, but we’re definitely not going to get to 275,” Heinz said, referring to the Township’s expectations.
Despite these differences, Borough leaders stressed the importance of establishing a multi-year agreement. “It’s beneficial not just for us, it’s beneficial for them in their planning,” Heinz said.
“And it’s beneficial for our residents to know what their tax increase is going to be over the next three years for fire services so they can plan accordingly,” the council president said.
Advertisements
The council expects to continue negotiations with the township this fall, aiming for a finalized agreement before the current contract expires on December 31.
