On February 18, the Upper Frederick Township Building was packed with residents concerned with alleged financial impropriety by members of the Upper Frederick Fire Company and the board's strategies for addressing them.

            On January 14, the Upper Frederick Board of Supervisors voted to suspend taxpayer funding and insurance coverage for fire company equipment and members until accusations of financial misconduct are addressed and overdue state-mandated financial reports are submitted.

            Upper Frederick imposes a fire tax of 0.18 mills, resulting in payments to the fire company of approximately $38,000 annually. The fire company is mandated to provide the board with an annual report showing the disbursement of taxpayer funds but has failed to provide sufficient documentation for the past 10 years.

            Jeff Zawada expressed concerns that the board had canceled the fire company's insurance and was withholding funds for fuel. Doing so would effectively close the fire company resulting in serious safety concerns for residents in the event of a fire, increase premiums for residents' homeowner insurance, and deprive new members of valuable training.

            Zawada requested clarifications regarding the nature of the financial issues, who made the accusations, the amount of money involved, and how the board intended to address these concerns going forward.

             Board Chair Bill Landman explained that, on December 23, 2025, the board asked for 10 years of financial records from the fire company. However, the fire company has only submitted documents covering the last four years, missing a January deadline.

            Landman expressed frustration with the fire company's lack of cooperation, explaining that withholding tax payments and cancelling insurance were measures intended to compel submission of necessary paperwork. Once provided, the problem would be solved.

            He criticized residents for relying on social media for information instead of consulting with board members or township Manager Aaron Walizer.

            Landman was adamant that allegations of financial misconduct originated within the fire company and failure to address them would make board members complicit in any alleged wrongdoing. He stressed that the township never threatened to close the fire company, that no one on the board is suing the fire company, and that the township is not responsible for providing funds for fuel.

            A citizen complimented the fire company for its quick response to several recent fires and said that she received an itemized account of donations she and her employer, J&J, made to the fire company totaling $30,000.

            This prompted Supervisor Bill Karaffa to ask why the township can't receive a similar accounting of taxpayer dollars.

            Ed Busby questioned why those responsible have not been arrested, claiming the board is withholding $2,000 for fire trucks' fuel and is unconcerned with residents' safety.

            Senior fire company officers in attendance were forced to leave the meeting early due to a fire call and therefore were unavailable for comment, but Assistant Chief Jason Parkins took to the podium to thank the community for its support and attempted to bring clarity to the situation. He stated that the board had received the requested documentation going back four years.

            Walizer said the township received itemized expenditures from 2022 to 2025 but lacks documentation for the previous six years. He noted issues with the documents that were provided, such as checks from the general fund without supporting paperwork.

            Parkins acknowledged that the board is accountable for adhering to the Second Class Township Code and stressed the need for better communication between the board and fire company. He expressed concerns over the suspension of tax funding and explained that the fire company is working to supply the requested documents, but retrieving records from the past ten years is a challenging and time-consuming process. Parkins sought compromise, requesting that funds be reinstated while the fire company works in good faith with the township. 

            "We do not survive if we do not obtain taxpayer funds and any donations from the public," said Parkins.

            "If the board believes there is any sort of misappropriation or fraudulent activity, we actually would prefer to have a third-party investigation completed. We would rather see the authorities come in and investigate our files instead of all this," added Parkins.

            "I totally agree," said Landman.

            Landman stated that, currently, no money is due the fire company and requested that more documentation be provided before funding is restored.

            Concluding the conversation, Parkins assured the community that the fire company will continue to provide services and mutual aid to the community. The board and fire company agreed to recurring meetings between Karaffa, Walizer, and Fire Company Treasurer? Amanda Coleman.

            Fire company officers will discourage the posting of inaccurate information on the company's Facebook page.