TONTITOWN — A vote by the City Council left an agreement between the Tontitown Area Volunteer Fire Department and the city hanging Tuesday.
The council voted 2-3 against a contract with the Fire Department at its meeting. The council approved a contract in March but the department's board unanimously rejected the city's contract.
By The Numbers
New Department
Tontitown’s Police Department became the Public Safety department in March. Calls for service for the last five months:
• February: 111
• January: 142
• December: 92
• November: 128
• October: 104
Source: City Of Tontitown
Sunny Hinshaw and Henry Piazza voted for the proposition with Mike Zulpo, Clint Penzo and Bobby Pianalto voting no. Alderman Joey Pianalto resigned Monday and wasn't present at the meeting.
The city previously paid the department for fire and emergency medical response in the city. The Fire Department had provided emergency response to Tontitown through a verbal agreement through March 31.
Paul Colvin, a member of the fire board, said at an earlier meeting the Fire Department may go to a subscription service inside the city.
The council formed a Public Safety Department in March that's responsible for both police and fire duties.
The city also acquired a 1996 Pierce pumper engine this week for $45,000 that would be used by Public Safety, said Mayor Jack Beckford.
Art Penzo, a Tontitown resident related to Clint Penzo, told the council public safety wasn't capable of handling fire and police duties at the same time.
"You've spent $100,000 and you don't have a damn thing," Art Penzo said.
Clint Penzo said creating a Public Safety Department gave better service to the city since police officers already patrolling could be at the scene of a medical emergency quicker than the volunteers who responded at night.
"Now we have people responding immediately 24-7," Clint Penzo said.
Public Safety has 14 full- and part-time officers that could respond to fires and medical emergencies, said Kris Arthur, chief of Public Safety.
The two officers who are supposed to respond to a medical emergency could be busy with police business, said Hinshaw.
"We don't have the capacity to do to everything," Hinshaw said.
The contract turned down by the council was similar to the one voted down by the fire board. The major difference was if the full-time employees would become part of the city staff with the mayor being able to hire and fire them.
The Fire Department was formed as a volunteer department but added full-time paid firefighters in recent years.
A clause also was added back to the contract allowing either organization to back out of the consolidation of the entities.
The city government and the fire board still have the same goal, despite the disagreements, Beckford said.
"We're all trying to do what is best for the people of Tontitown," Beckford said.
Zulpo asked for an opportunity for the whole council to sit down with the board to work out the differences.
Jason Steele, board president, said he would call Beckford to try to set up a meeting.
The council also approved becoming a city of the first class. Beckford added his vote to those of Zulpo, Clint Penzo and Bobby Pianalto to approve the measure. The ordinance needed four votes to pass.
NW News on 04/02/2014