Jun 10, 2015 3 min read

ELLSWORTH – Ellsworth Borough Council and Ellsworth Volunteer Fire Company resolved a conflict Tuesday concerning the fire department’s workers’ compensation policy.

In question was why the fire company purchased its own workers’ compensation policy with the State Workers’ Insurance Fund when the borough paid the bill for the past 30 years.

Both the borough and the fire company recently made a quarterly payment to SWIF.

SWIF notified the borough it received two payments for the fire company, and the fire station bought a policy, said council President Mark Segedi.

Borough officials invited representatives from the fire department to attend the May council meeting to explain why the company obtained its own policy, but none attended.

Council then sent a letter to the fire company and asked someone attend the June meeting, or the board would consider looking elsewhere for fire protection.

Tom Pysh, first assistant chief and chairman of the fire company’s board of directors, said the fire department representatives who could answer the board’s questions about the policy could not attend in May because of other commitments, including work.

Pysh said the fire company purchased its own policy in order to keep a paper trail of its finances.

“We want a paper trail of everything we do, and make sure that everything is transparent,” said Pysh. “It’s an easier and better way for us to keep track of our money.”

In 2009, the former Ellsworth fire chief was found guilty of using a fire department account to purchase items from a store for personal use. His ex-wife was charged with receiving stolen property for writing checks from the fire department’s account and forging signatures on the checks.

Second Assistant Chief Frank Faryna said the fire company is working to repair its image and its goal is 100 percent accountability.

Council members said they were satisfied with the fire company’s explanation.

The fire company pays $11,651 annually for the policy. Ellsworth pays for $5,135 of the policy, while Somerset and North Bethlehem townships pay $4,475 and $2,040, respectively.

The fire company, a standalone department which last year raised 83 percent of its $108,000 budget through fundraisers, is composed of 25 firefighters and covers Ellsworth and portions of North Bethlehem and Somerset.

Council also said it does not have a list of the names of the fire company’s firefighters and asked the company to provide one in order to eliminate any chance of workers’ compensation fraud.

Council members said they are concerned a person who is not a firefighter can be injured and file a claim since there is no list.

Also Tuesday, the fire company proposed to enter into a formal agreement for fire protection services for Ellsworth Borough. The fire department contracts with Somerset and North Bethlehem townships, but has only a oral agreement with Ellsworth. The contract includes the cost of workers’ compensation, so if the borough aproves the contract, it will receive only one bill from the fire company.

Council expects to vote on the proposal at its July meeting.