×

Newburg fire company dispute moves into court

Lawsuit seeks release of fire company records

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A dispute between two groups associated with the Newburg Volunteer Fire Company has moved into Blair County Court where a judge is being asked to order the release of financial records, meeting minutes and to evaluate the legality of operational changes.

“This is a fire company that was formed for the sole purpose of being a volunteer fire company,” attorney Kim Houser of Greensburg said. “But to fund the fire company, it created a social club and bar … and now it essentially has become a bar that is stuck with a volunteer fire company.”

Fifteen longtime volunteer firefighters, represented by Amber Bennett, Thomas Bennett and Michael Zeigler as petitioners, are named in the lawsuit Houser filed recently with the court.

Collectively, they contend that volunteer firefighters are being “frozen out” or excluded from the business operations of the Newburg Fire Association, which operates the bar generating money to support the fire department. That’s been accomplished, the lawsuit states, by denying them membership, voting rights and by declining to provide documents about the bar’s business and how decisions were made and are being made.

Houser said he is familiar with other fire companies like Newburg’s that have pursued business ventures and acquired assets to generate money in support of the fire company.

“A business owned by a fire company? That is not an alien concept,” he said. “But their money, just like money raised by fire clubs that do bingo games, fund-drives, gun drives … it all goes to the same primary purpose of supporting their fire companies. And their members have access to that information.”

The association will have a chance to respond to the lawsuit arising from an ongoing dispute in the fire company, which has drawn some attention in recent months. Issues have been investigated by the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement and the Logan Township Police Department. The disagreements also surfaced during a township supervisors meeting in September.

Supervisors, in response to what was offered at the meeting, acknowledged the ongoing controversy and encouraged resolutions that would ensure the future of the fire company.

Houser said the firefighters he represents felt they had to turn to the court for help.

“They’ve been asking for financial records, meeting minutes and there’s been no response,” the attorney said. “Their requests have been ignored.”

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today