Firefighters wanted: Canton Township among area departments needing more personnel

CANTON TWP. ‒ The township Fire Department is coping with manpower issues, the same lack of personnel many community fire agencies are facing.

"Our full-time staff is a revolving door," Chief Christopher Smith said. "We are making the board (of trustees) aware of what is going on."

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The Fire Department is budgeted for 17 full-time rank-and-file firefighters.

"Right now we are down to 15, about to go to 14," Smith said. "And probably by the end of (January) there will be one more. We run one short of our ideal staffing about 80% of the time. Each shift we want to have seven. That is a combination of full-time and part-time."

The Fire Department, which operates 24 hours a day, functions out of three stations.

Wages and finances are an issue

The problem, according to township officials, centers on wages. Firefighters frequently leave Canton Township to take jobs with higher paying departments.

"The management of the Fire Department has always managed their budgets prudently," township Fiscal Officer John Ring said.

To help resolve the matter, township officials recently asked voters to approve a 5.9-mill property tax this past Nov. 8. That tax would have generated $2.43 million annually over its five-year life cycle. But the issue was rejected by a 63-vote margin, 2,205 to 2,142.

Without any new, or additional, tax revenue Canton Township officials continue to rely on two existing property tax levies. One is a 4.5-mill continuous levy that produces $1.42 million a year. The other is a 4-mill property tax which generates $1.27 annually over its five-year life cycle. Voters last renewed that 4-mill real estate tax in 2017.

Consequently, "the township hasn't gotten a raise," Ring. "We don't see much increase year after year in our fire budget. We benefit very little from changes in (real estate) valuation. We haven't had a lot of development. There hasn't been any (new) residential development."

Lack of firefighters 'a big problem'

Canton Township's concern with staffing is not unique in the firefighting profession.

"It is a big problem," said Rick Annen, president of the Stark County Fire Chiefs Association. "There is a 20% shortage in the career firefighters. There are just not many people getting into it. It is a job you have to love or you hate it. It is getting to be more of a problem."

Annen also is chief of the Navarre-based Erie Valley Fire and Rescue Department.

"We have individuals leaving for other departments for higher compensation," township Trustee Mark Shaffer said. "The pay has to be addressed. That is why we have people leaving."

Starting annual salary for a full-time firefighter with the Canton Township Fire Department is $46,399.

"Currently they top out after three years at $58,030," Chief Smith said. "That will go up to $59,772 on April 1."

Rank-and-file firefighters are represented by the Canton Township Professional Firefighters Local 3676. Bargaining unit president Kevin Gonyer was not available for comment.

During a recent meeting, Smith and township trustees reviewed possible solutions.

The board later agreed to make another bid to have voters approve a 5.9-mill property tax. The tax issue will be on the May 2 election ballot.

The township hopes to fill the vacancies with newly hired personnel.

"We are trying," Smith said. "There are just not many to hire from; not many applicants anymore."

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Maintaining staff is challenge for Canton Township Fire Department