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When Franklin Township supervisors declined to provide $1,800 to the Prospect Borough/Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Department last week, a business owner offered to donate the money himself.

At a Monday meeting, two of the three township supervisors voted against the donation, which would have supported new fire pagers for the department.

Supervisor Nathan Wulff presented the donation request to fellow supervisors Herman Bauer Jr. and Robert Thompson, but neither seconded the motion.

Wulff said he was disappointed the other supervisors wouldn’t support the department.

“I understand where they’re coming from. We have a difference of opinion,” he said. “I’m a volunteer firefighter myself, so I know those pagers are absolutely essential.”

According to the fire department’s chief, Nate Blackwood, the donation was denied on the grounds that the department receives a fire tax from the township.

“They said they wouldn’t give any money because of the fire tax,” Blackwood said. “But the tax is coming from the residents’ money, not the township’s money.”

Blackwood said the department requested a donation of the same amount from Prospect Borough, hoping to split the cost of communication devices and keep costs to a minimum for the entities they served.

“The (Prospect) borough gave us the money without question,” he said.

The fire pagers would receive all emergency communications in Butler County. According to Blackwood, the current devices the departments use only receive communications from 911 dispatch.

“We have to purchase five more of them,” he said. “Right now, if (firefighters) are on the road, they don’t know if there’s entrapment or an upgrade to a structure fire at a scene.”

Franklin Township implemented a 2-mill fire tax this year, which generates about $53,000 annually for the fire department.

“That money is going toward our new building and a new engine,” Blackwood said. “They donate $10,000 to Prospect Library ... I’m concerned this is going to continue with the township.”

Wulff was supportive of the donation despite the fire tax.

“Even if that’s the case, I think we should still support the fire department,” he said. “Of the 30 residents in that room, I think every single one was shocked they wouldn’t give money to the department.”

According to Blackwood, Gerald Rumburg Jr., owner of Michael’s Restaurant at 970 New Castle Rd., stood up and wrote a check for the requested donation and gave it to Blackwood, saying that if the township wouldn’t support the department, he would.

“We’re fortunate to have him step up and support us,” he said. “That covered the pagers, between the borough and the business donation.”

Rumburg said he doesn’t feel the supervisors are aware of all the fire department does for the community.

“A lot of residents were trying to argue with the supervisors as to why they couldn’t (donate),” he said.

He added that later in the meeting, the supervisors approved a more than $2,500 extended warranty on a township vehicle and almost $22,000 on a new plow and salt box for the road crew.

“That was kind of a slap in the face for the fire department that they can drop that much on an extended warranty,” he said.

Wulff said both purchases were essential things for the township roads, but that fire protection and emergency services should be just as important.

“My opinion is if $1,800 is essential, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not going to break the bank for the township,” he said. “From my understanding, Franklin Township doesn’t have a lack of funding to support the fire department.”

Blackwood said if this pattern continues, the department will have to continually rely on the community.

“There were quite a few other (residents) who expressed disappointment in the township,” he said. “We’re going to depend on the community if the township won’t support us.”

Attempts to contact supervisor Bauer by phone were made. He did not respond before press time.