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Marla Marcinko
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TAB 7
Targeted News Service (USA)
March 21, 2011
City and Wilkinsburg Reach Historic, Cost-Saving Agreement on Fire Merger
Dateline: PITTSBURGH
PITTSBURGH, March 21 -- The city of Pittsburgh issued the following news release:
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced today that the City of Pittsburgh and the Borough of
Wilkinsburg have reached an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on the terms of the
Pittsburgh-Wilkinsburg Fire Bureau merger. The agreement outlines all of the operational and
financial details of the cost-cutting and response improving merger and will be introduced to
Pittsburgh City Council tomorrow morning.
'I believe this merger will be looked at as the state-wide model for efficient and effective
consolidation,' Ravenstahl said. 'At no cost to City taxpayers, this merger will save the residents
of Wilkinsburg hundreds of thousands of dollars annually while improving their fire protection.'
In February of 2010, the City and Wilkinsburg embarked on the negotiation of such a merger,
recognizing the cost-savings and service benefits to residents. A working group led by Public
Safety Director Michael Huss was formed and met bi-monthly in order to tackle the legal,
financial, and operational obstacles of such a merger.
'This merger will not only provide better fire protection to Wilkinsburg residents, but save
borough taxpayers more than $600,000 dollars on its annual $2.2 million budget for fire service,'
said Wilkinsburg Borough Manager Marla Marcinko.
The execution of the IGA agreement required cooperation between two municipalities, the state
general assembly, the City's IGA and Act 47 teams, and two firefighter unions. Last fall, the
Governor signed Senate Bill 918 which will allow the City to hire Wilkinsburg firefighters with
appropriate service and pension benefits. The passage of the bill was a critical step in allowing
the merger to move forward.
'In my 20-years of experience in public safety, I've looked at the benefits of many possible
mergers and consolidations,' said Public Safety Director Michael Huss. 'Merging Wilkinsburg's
fire department with the City's didn't just make financial sense, it made operational sense and all
parties were committed to ironing out the details and getting this deal done.'
Under the IGA, 24 Wilkinsburg firefighters will become PBF firefighters pending Pittsburgh
City Council approval of the IGA. Wilkinsburg City Council approved the IGA during their
March 16th meeting. Wilkinsburg firefighters have already completed emergency medical
technician certification, and PBF fire operations and procedure training. They will have 12-
months from the start of employment to obtain City residency. In addition, they will carry over
54 percent of their time for purposes of pension vesting and benefits, and will enter the City's
pension fund at a 100 percent funding level.
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