Pa. city rehires 5 firefighters with grant

By Cindy Ekas
The Tribune-Review

UNIONTOWN, Pa. — Uniontown City Council recalled five furloughed firefighters Wednesday and ratified a new contract with the firefighters union, lasting through 2014.

The city accepted a $632,835 federal grant earmarked to help pay for the salaries.

At a special meeting, council members announced that firefighters who had been laid off in December were recalled immediately, and Myron Nypaver was reinstated as fire chief and code enforcement officer.

The fire department's contract with the city expires at the end of the year. The new labor agreement with International Association of Firefighters Local 955 will take effect Jan. 1 and run through Dec. 31, 2014. It includes annual pay raises of 3.5 percent and a provision prohibiting layoffs.

"We will be at 13 firefighters, and the East End station did reopen today," Nypaver said. "The station is up and manned, and it will be better on our response times.

"It's time to move forward," he added. "We have a lot of work to do, and we're going to do it to the best of our ability. We have to get back into the swing of things. Our citizens are No. 1, and we're concerned about their safety."

In addition to Nypaver, recalled firefighters include Robert Leiberger, Todd Fullem, Richard Lint and Brian VanSickle.

"I think this is a great day, and we're going to move forward and get some things accomplished with Myron Nypaver's help," said council President Philip Michael.

"I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to get this agreement ratified," Mayor Edward Fike said. "There were so many people who were hurt by this because the truth was not known. We all love the fire department. It's safer for the citizens of Uniontown now that the paid fire department is back in operation."

Because Nypaver was officially reinstated as fire chief, council voted to return Chuck Coldren, who had been serving as fire chief, to his previous position of assistant chief, effective immediately.

Instead of reducing Coldren's salary from $49,000 to $44,517, council agreed to allow him to continue to receive the higher pay.

"Chuck Coldren has done an excellent job as fire chief," Fike said. "He didn't kick us to the curb. We kicked him to the curb, and I don't think he should have to suffer financially because of it."

Council accepted the resignation of firefighter David Ross, effective Sept. 28. Ross has taken a firefighting position in Morgantown.

With money received from the grant awarded by the Department of Homeland Security through its Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program, council decided to hire two firefighters from the Civil Service Commission list. The first is expected to be hired at the next regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

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