Fire Fighters Equity Bill now out of House Committee
This in via e-mail from State Representative Matt Patten, I’m sharing it since it impacts some of the townships in our area:
State Rep. Patten’s Fire Fighters Equality Bill Passes Out of Committee
House Bill 271 Promotes Public Safety
COLUMBUS – House Bill 271, sponsored by State Representatives Matt Patten (D-Strongsville) and Dan Stewart (D-Columbus), was voted out of Commerce and Labor Committee in the Ohio House of Representatives earlier yesterday. The bill expands public employee rights to professional township fire departments. A broad coalition including the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters, Ohio Fire Chiefs Association, and various township officials came together in support of the bill.
“Allowing Professional Township Firefighters the same rights as their municipality counterparts is vital to the public safety of Ohio,” Patten said. “By extending public employee status to these brave men and women, we are honoring our firefighters and providing stability to fire services across our state.”
If HB 271 is enacted, professional firefighters who serve 5,000 or more people will have the collective bargaining rights extended to other public employees. Currently, professional township firefighters can serve 5,000 or more people but be denied these rights if the population of the unincorporated township does not meet 5,000. Professional firefighters for municipalities must meet the same population threshold.
“With this legislation, Ohio’s firefighters will not only be better protected under Ohio law, but they will also be better able to serve Ohio’s communities,” said Jim Carney of the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters.
Granting public employee rights to Professional Township Firefighters also changes a current law that can lead to work stoppages by those firefighters. Under Ohio law, state employees who work in the public safety sector and who have collective bargaining rights agree not to strike. This legislation would ensure that township firefighters would be held to the same non-strike standard.
“The safety of Ohioans is of the utmost importance,” said Patten. “This piece of legislation will close loopholes that were detrimental to public wellbeing.”
After passing committee, HB 271 goes to the House floor for consideration.
Unless I’m misreading something, I don’t see where this would apply to any township in Lucas County.
Waterville Township is the only township who has a population under 5,000 in the unincorporated area, but a total population over 5,000. However, the township does not have a fire department according to their website; the two villages in the township – Waterville and Whitehouse – do have fire departments (looking at Waterville Village’s website, it appears they service the township as well; Whitehouse’s website is silent on whether they service parts of the township).
Maybe I’m assuming the fire department has to be based in the township, and not the municipality … No, a review of the bill language says this is specifically for township fire departments.
Correct me, please, but I don’t see the affect locally.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:19 amI thought it might impact some of the other townships in the area that surrounds Lucas County, which is why I shared the release, we have readers in Wood and Fulton and a few in Erie. They never reference counties/townships by name and I thought a few of the townships in those counties could be impacted.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:22 amThe Bill analysis states:
Data from the 2000 Census indicate that roughly 196 (15%) of Ohio’s 1,309 townships would meet the bill’s population requirements and could therefore potentially be affected by the bill. Because public employees with the right to collectively bargain usually have higher salary and benefit costs than employees whom do not have the right to collectively bargain, it seems reasonable to assume that the bill could result in increased salary and benefit costs to those townships whose fire departments qualify for collective bargaining under the bill.
A similar bill was written last year.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:27 amWow; I did not realize the extent of your reach.
“…(15%) of Ohio’s 1,309 townships would meet the bill’s population requirements…”
Hmmm, by population, maybe, but the issue is how many of those who meet the population requirements service a municipality within their jurisdiction while the unincorporated portion of the township remains under 5,000. The 2008 bill sites one example, but acknowledges “does not know how many townships operate a fire department that would qualify under the bill”.
My bet is that this is targeted toward a few select fire departments, (some of whom may have purposefully worked with municipalities to avoid collective bargaining) and is HEAVILY supported by the IAFF.
This could be very expensive for affected townships. I wonder what the Ohio Township Association says about this.
November 19th, 2009 at 11:39 amI don’t have time right now to look up populations at this very moment, but maybe it’ll have an impact, too, on smaller Wood County townships?
November 19th, 2009 at 1:08 pmAccording to wikipedia, no Wood County townships would be affected, although Montgomery and Troy are close on population (but I can’t tell who operates the fire department for the township or the municipalities in the townships).
Fulton County: German Township fits the population numbers, but it appears that Archbold has its own fire department; Same thing with Clinton Township and Wauseon.
Erie County: Huron Twp meets the population numbers, with the Village of Huron being the imbedded municipalities. I couldn’t tell from the village’s website if they operate their own fire department or not; the twp/village history was intertwined. Margaretta Twp meets the population numbers, and has to villages in it none of which have a website so I couldn’t figure who operates the fire department. Vermillion Twp and Vermillion – same, population numbers met but can’t tell who runs fire department.
November 19th, 2009 at 1:45 pmDeeDee – I don’t serve on this committee, however I just put in a request for copies of the testimony on this bill. I will have it on Monday, I can either post a summary or email everything to whomever would like copies.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:16 amDeeDee in response to your post #4 – the following is the Township Association position as provided during the November 17, 2009 Commerce & Labor Committee Hearing
“The Ohio Township Association has consistently opposed collective bargaining requirements for townships with less that 5,000 people in the unincorporated territory, which is the only area a township has legislative authority over. Our primary reason for opposing this is the cost related to collective bargaining negotiations and the “decision” process being removed, at least partially, from the township trustees. With respect to township budgets, they are simply not large enough to handle the costs of the process. The cost of attorneys and collective bargaining representation are significant. Should this bill continue through the legislative process, the OTA would recommend language that would set a budget threshold, as well as the population threshold, to ensure the township has the revenue to cover the costs of collective bargaining. For example, a township with less than 5,000 people in the unincorporated territory and wishes to adopt limited home rule government pursuant to RC Chapter 504 must have a budget of at least $3.5 million.”
Also noted in their testimony: “…no where else in the Ohio Revised Code does township population include incorporated territory. Additionally, 5,000 is the traditional line of difference between cities and villages.” Villages are not included in this legislation.
This legislation will effect 13 townships based on the 2000 Census, Washington, Plain, Mifflin, Jefferson, Truro, Hamilton, Jackson and Norwich in Franklin County, Beavercreek in Greene County, Springfield in Richland County, Harrison in Pickaway County, Monroe in Licking County, and Greenfield in Fairfield County.
I have emailed all of the testimony provided at the November 17th hearing to Lisa Renee
November 24th, 2009 at 11:37 am