Controversy Erupts at Harleysville Fire Company over proposed sale of Ambulance Division Assets.

Harleysville Community Fire Company's executive officers were faced with putting the sale of the Ambulance Division to a vote of the membership on December 10, 03, instead of voting the President of HFC in an unprecedented move adjourned the meeting.

Lower Salford, PA (PRWEB) December 12, 2003 --A Fire Company in Disarray

On December 9, 03 the membership of Harleysville Community Fire Company met to discuss the proposed sale of the Ambulance Divisions assets to the Volunteer Medical Service Corps, of Lansdale as well as to conduct normal company business.

Almost 60 members were on hand with many hoping to engage the President, Ken Keith, and the Executive Team in open discourse on the decision to dissolve Harleysville Ambulance after more than 45 years of service to Lower Salford Township and surrounding communities.

After about an hour of conducting company business a motion was made and seconded to rescind any and all contracts to sell the assets of the Ambulance Division by Jim Reber, a Firefighter and Ambulance member. This motion was made with the stipulation that the vote be held by secret ballot. Company president Keith immediately asked why this vote should be put to secret ballot and was informed by several that this was being done to ensure that the members would be allowed to vote without fear of intimidation or reprisal.

Mr. Keith immediately called for a short break so that he could confer with his Executive Team as well as their attorney, Lewis Goodman. Approximately 15 minutes later Mr. Keith and his Executive Team rejoined the meeting and announced that the decision to dissolve Harleysville Ambulance was not open for discussion and that the meeting was adjourned. The reaction of the membership was instantaneous and turned into a shouting match with people attempting to engage Mr. Keith and ask him what he was afraid by putting the decision of selling the assets to a vote? Mr. Keith exited the room with his Executive Team without responding.

Many members present including Life Members (20 years or more,) said they had never witnessed a spectacle such as this. In almost 20 years of volunteering in three different states I have never witnessed an incident like this. The President and Executive Board of this organization are supposed to serve at the behest of the membership. Over the last month our organization has changed from a Parliamentary organization to a dictatorship," said Mike Kalinsky, Deputy Chief of Harleysville Ambulance.

Organizations such as Harleysville Fire Company traditionally vote on everything from the purchase of softball equipment to the financing of new equipment. The decision to sell the assets of the Ambulance Division was made in secret and never put to a vote which has inflamed the membership.

To his credit, the Executive Boards attorney, Mr. Goodman did stay on and attempted to field questions from the 45 members still present. According to Mr. Goodman the only recourse the membership has at this point is to amend the by-laws or to wait for election time which is over a year away. Many members of the company are now looking to the Lower Salford Township supervisors to step in and force the Fire Companys executive board to reevaluate their decision. Many of these same members will be attending the next township meeting on December 18, 03 to express their concerns.

Harleysville Ambulance is based in Lower Salford, PA and has been providing EMS services for more than 45 years to the people of Lower Salford, Towamencin, Skippack, and Franconia Townships. For more information on how you can help Harleysville Ambulance e-mail us at info@empyrean-group.com or call 866-773-9900 and mention Harleysville Ambulance.
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