Even as a new fire services contract for Ben Avon Heights was being accepted by Avalon Council Tuesday evening, Ben Avon officials were feeling the loss and the “backdraft” for the role some officials may have played in the decision.

In selecting Avalon to provide fire services after 15 years of contracting with Ben Avon, Heights officials last week stated unequivocally that they were changing not only to save a couple thousand dollars each year, but because of the “negotiating tactics of Ben Avon Council.”

Those tactics included an e-mail from Ben Avon Council member Michael Bett that was sent to Heights residents, telling them that a switch to Avalon’s fire department would put their community at risk and cause home insurance rates to increase.

That e-mail triggered criticism not only from Avalon officials, but from Ben Avon residents and council members as well.

“I was not real happy about it,” said Avalon Council member Vicki Donnelly after voting to enter into a five-year contract with the Heights that will designate the Avalon Volunteer Fire Company as the provider of fire services for the neighboring community and put $10,000 a year into a specially designated fund to help purchase a new firetruck for Avalon.

Council member Tom Lloyd called the e-mail’s criticism of Avalon fire company “a mistaken remark.”

“The best piece of equipment is the manpower, and our manpower is the best,” he said.

Just down the street, where Ben Avon Council was meeting the same night, Ben Avon Volunteer Fire Company president Doug Silk said members of the fire department were disappointed with council.

"Council lost money under this contract. This council should have at least come to the chief or members for input. Council lost something vital; are you ever going to get it back?" Then speaking to Bett, he said, "Mr. Bett, you were appointed to council to fill a vacancy. Evidently you think you know all about fire service. This was bad."

Ben Avon Council member R.J. White said that he was concerned that many years of cooperation between Ben Avon and Ben Avon Heights might have been damaged, and asked Bett to apologize for bringing shame on the borough. His request was met with silence until Sue Weiss said she was not comfortable with trying to shame Bett in a public forum. White said he wasn't trying to shame him, he just thought he should apologize.

"I wasn't consulted about (the e-mail)," Weiss said, "but I wasn't concerned about it. I think the Heights just made a business decision."

Council member Judy Konitsney said that prior to it being sent, some of council was not aware of the e-mail, and Rob Galbraith added, "nor the content."

"Not every council member was in agreement, we didn't know about (the e-mail). Please don't lump us all together," Konitsney told residents who attended the meeting.

During his committee report, Bett apologized to the fire company, saying "We spent a lot of time working on (getting the agreement) but didn't get the result we wanted."

Ben Avon would have received more than $12,000 in 2012 had the contract with the Heights continued, plus a 3 percent annual increase for the five-year contract term. In addition, Ben Avon will lose between $3,000 and $4,000 annually in the form of state fire relief funds, which now will go directly to the Avalon Volunteer Fire Company.
[Lois Thomson and Connie Rankin contributed to this story.]