Chris Rowher takes his oath as fire chief. Serving as interim fire chief since Justin Saunders resigned the position, he was promoted to fire chief at the Sept. 17 council meeting.
Photos Kay Dawson | Register-Herald
PHILLIPSBURG — Phillipsburg Fire Chief Chris Rowher told council on Sept. 17 that the village Halloween party on Oct. 26 could not have a bonfire.
Phillipsburg normally bans open burning between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30 and in the spring, but this year the drought means there is no evening dew to resist flames, and Rowher said if the drought status changed to “severe,” he would ban open burning entirely.
A few days later the state fire marshal’s office took the decision out of his hands, putting Montgomery County under the state’s burn ban.
Rowher urged people to report violations to the fire department or 911. Asked if a person burning leaves or trash was a genuine emergency, he said, “It’s an emergency with our current conditions. Every 30 seconds, a fire will double in size.”
The fire department will still have equipment at the party, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Hunt Club, for the children to tour as well as plastic helmets for them. Council Member Hope Hoard said there will be food and also activities for the children.
Trick or Treat will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, and Mayor Shawna Newsom reminded people that the village garage sale will take place on Sept. 26, 27, and 28.
Rowher also told the council that the EMTs enter identifying information about a patient at the hospital and finish the reports at the station, but many times the first information has vanished and the EMTs need to call the hospital.
He had a quote from another software service, but the contract with the current one automatically renewed on Sept. 1. He has been frustrated in attempts to contact the current service and can’t find the fire department’s copy of the contract.
Council member Brandon Myers said the village solicitor could probably get a response, and Fiscal Officer Michelle Phillips said she would locate a copy in her office.
Rowher produced the fuel figures member Steven Booker asked for at the last meeting. From September 2023 to September 2024, the fire and police departments spent $788 on 248 gallons of gasoline and $4,867 on 1,252 gallons of diesel fuel.
A 300-gallon bulk tank of diesel fuel would cost $2,700 to install and only save about $0.11 per gallon. He said the police cars, and the brush truck were usually fueled at the local gas station, but the rest were fueled elsewhere because the engines can’t get into the local station and the medic unit only can if there are few other cars at the time.
Newsom announced the solicitor had said that residents could make video recordings of council proceedings but that talking into the recorder during the meeting was not permitted and would lead to removal from the room.
The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Oct. 1, with a second meeting at 7 p.m. on Oct. 15. Both will be at the municipal building at 10868 Brookville Phillipsburg Rd.
