Oct 18, 2002 By Patty Shultz 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – The city’s volunteer fire company will not receive any funding from the 2003 budget, according to figures revealed in documents produced Thursday by the finance director. “This doesn’t look good,” said Councilman Bruce Jaynes, who also serves as a member of the New Haven Volunteer Fire Company. “I see it as something that is going to hurt the community.”

Councilwoman Judy Keller said because the fire company had failed to provide the city with any financial records relating to its revenues and expenditures over the past year, she would not allocate taxpayer dollars to the organization.

“There are many residents that are of the opinion that if their taxes are going to New Haven then there should be some sort of accountability,” she said. “All we are asking for is some kind of financial statement.”

While not denying the fire company has not been forthcoming with producing the records, Jaynes said funding should not be withheld when the firefighters respond to over two-thirds of the annual calls for assistance.

He said with the recent purchase of an aerial/pumper truck, the company would need additional income, he hoped would come through the city.

The city earmarked $15,000 to the company in the 2002 budget that was cut by $10,000 from the previous year. The line item is not noted in the tentative budget paperwork.

Keller said with council approval she would entertain re-establishing the line item if Jaynes could offer where the budget could afford to be adjusted.

“Come back with a proposal,” she said.

Jaynes also requested additional funding for the street department spending plan that was trimmed by $10,000 over last year’s budget.

“You can’t keep doing this to this department,” he said of the downtrend in the annual allocation.

Jaynes pointed to the $15,000 budgetary cut for road and alley materials along with the $650 reduction in office supply funding and $2,000 cut for the purchase of street signs.

“All I’m asking is that you just maintain last year’s figure,” he said.

Keller pointed to the city’s state liquid fuel account that stands at $292,000 and will be increased to nearly $450,000 at the beginning of the year as the reason the department budget could afford to be reduced.

Noting that the state fund can be used to pave streets and alleys and make purchases, Keller said that adequate money was available to operate the department.

She also pointed to increasing department salaries and overall city expenses connected to insurances and utility costs as her reasoning for slashing the department budget.

“Everyone has to reduce their expenditures,” she said.

Council also reviewed the recreational department budget which is funded with a portion of the real estate tax dollars received by the city.

The panel will meet again Wednesday at 7 p.m. to complete the review of the tentative spending plan which is expected to be approved at its upcoming November meeting.