Jonestown Borough Council Meeting Tackles Fire Department and Emergency Management

Jake April 5, 2023

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Jonestown Borough Council convened on Tuesday, April 4th, to address pressing issues involving the fire department, emergency management, and ongoing problems with the local post office. The council was also updated by the Northern Lebanon Fire and Emergency Services (NLFES), which approached them to seek support for an ongoing issue.

NLFES raised concerns over the assumption that the job of fire police is always taken up by volunteers regardless of the level of danger involved in the situation. The scenario was proposed as to if they said they wouldn’t do it anymore, then who would? The fire department is set to assist in directing traffic during the upcoming block party and Memorial Day parade. To support their efforts, NLFES is seeking a federal grant for an engine that will be used for interstate emergencies, rather than relying on local government or state funds.

In other news, the council unanimously approved the appointment of the Lebanon County Emergency Management Agency as the Borough Emergency Management Coordinator. However, if the borough finds a willing community member to assume the role, they reserve the right to withdraw the appointment at any time.

Mayor Quairoli also discussed ongoing issues with fire department funding and the post office in town. The mayor plans to write letters to various agencies and individuals seeking help in addressing these issues. In particular, he aims to write a letter to the state and federal levels asking that legislation be passed requiring insurance agencies to pay for emergency service responses. Currently, insurance agencies can ignore this responsibility.

In related news, Mayor Quairoli also plans to write a letter to the federal government regarding the issue of interstate emergencies, which ties into the NLFES grant request. Lastly, the mayor aims to address the post office’s problem of finding a place for mailboxes on the road. He plans to write to the postmaster on behalf of the community, asking for the addition of a walking route to Market Street, thereby reducing the need for mailboxes on the road.

The council approved the submission of the mayor’s letter to the postmaster, with only Parks & Rec Director Tracey Charest opposing. Charest had already taken it upon herself as a citizen to work towards the same goal.

Jonestown Borough Council remains committed to addressing pressing issues and working towards better emergency management and community support.