Council Approves Public Works as Fire Company's Mechanic

Gloucester Township Department of Public Works mechanics will service Fire District No. 3 (Blenheim Fire Co.) vehicles under an interlocal services agreement approved by the Township Council Monday night.

The township plans to hire a mechanic to make the agreement work.

Council unanimously approved the resolution, which was added to the meeting agenda Monday night as "walk on."

The agreement "includes the repair and maintenance of their vehicles," Council President Glen Bianchini told Erial resident Jim Kibelstis, a former Fire District No. 6 (Erial) commissioner, in explaining the resolution prior to the vote.

Public works director Len Moffa indicated his mechanics will not immediately begin with "major stuff" on Blenheim Fire Co.'s fire trucks, with their work initially limited to oil changes and other preventative maintenance.

"As we get knowledge of how to do it, we will take on everything," Moffa said.

The township will bill Blenheim Fire Co. for manpower and materials used to service its vehicle fleet.

Kibelstis asked whether other fire districts would be entering similar agreements with the township.

"This agreement for using mechanical services—will that also apply to the other five districts?" he asked Bianchini.

"Just right now it's with Blenheim, but I know other districts—fire districts—have approached Mr. Moffa, and he's assessing whether they can do it. I believe they will do it," Bianchini said. "It's just the phasing it in and when they come to an agreement, then we'll come with separate resolutions for that, too."

Bianchini agreed with Kibelstis' suggestion that all of the township's six fire districts' vehicles be serviced by township mechanics.

"Blenheim was the first one to approach (public works). They started doing it," the Council president said. "We are going to be bringing on a mechanic to assist in that. We don't want to make it a budgetary issue, so we're just bringing it on in a phase-it-in way."