Part of understanding the county’s fire and emergency medical services systems is understanding where the gaps and challenges are.

To date, that discussion has really centered on the personnel side of the operation.

But a tri-county EMS study that Warren is apart of with Crawford and Erie is looking at just more than that piece of the puzzle.

Paul Pascuzzi, chair of the Council of Government’s Fire Services Committee told the COG that the two peer consultants are asking for information on the Allegheny National Forest and how big of an area each department can respond to within five minutes.

“(There is a) fair amount of white space where our firefighters can’t get there within five minutes,” he said. “They happen to be state game lands… the Allegheny National Forest (and) places in and around Tidioute.

“Tidioute has a very large area that they cover (but) don’t necessarily hit it within five minutes.”

With the material in hand, the study will move ahead.

“They have all of the information that they need,” Pascuzzi said.

COG PONDERS FUTURE

After two months of strategic planning initiatives, the COG has identified a series of priorities where it should spend its time.

Some of those initiatives — EMS, education on reassessment, lobbying the legislature — can have a profound impact on this county.

The COG has been an informal entity since its formation in the 1990s. But the issues are great. And participating has lagged.

“We really need to seriously consider and I think move to formalizing this organization through ordinance,” the COG’s consultant, Alan Kugler, said, “so that it can become more than all of us.”

He suggested that without that next step, the organization won’t exist.

The group of elected officials that met Wednesday spent time reviewing possible bylaws.

“It’s survived all these years,” Sugar Grove Borough Mayor Pete Allenson said. “Who else is going to take it over? We’ve got to recruit people?”

“I think we should be formed as elected officials,” Clarendon Borough Council President Paul Pascuzzi said, with municipal delegates appointed from each governmental entity that come and vote.

“It’s a value proposition,” he added, noting that decisions made by the COG now do not “hold weight.”

He recommended the group review draft bylaws and come to the next meeting prepared to discuss.

“The ‘stay as it is’ approach I think is really dangerous,” Kugler said. “There could be no future tomorrow for this organization.”

County Planner Dan Glotz said while there are 20 municipalities out of a possible 27 that are members of the COG only about 10 attend the meetings, suggesting there’s a difference between being a member and being a contributing member.

“We don’t do a very good job of recruiting people to come to our meeting,” Pascuzzi said, detailing the COG’s value as keeping in touch with organizations such as the ANF and the Visitors Bureau, the Fire Services Committee and the county’s blighted process.

Kugler suggested the need for the COG to take steps is tied directly to the health of the community.

“This community has been in a spiral now probably since 1960, probably more quickly lately,” he said. “We have a responsibility” to develop intergovernmental connections for future generations. “At that’s why we’re here.”

“We have not taken a proactive approach to find ways… this is a great place to live, a beautiful place,” Pascuzzi said. “Everyone should want to live here. We have to find a way of stopping this… population and brain drain….”

Kugler suggested Warren’s COG is the only not formally organized.

“This is not about bylaws,” he said. “It’s about the future of the community.”

Glotz said a formal structure would allow the municipalities to speak with one voice but preserve their own individuality.

“The great thing is we’re actually having the conversation,” Youngsville Borough Councilman Troy Clawson said.