Fire department temporarily unable to rent out its hall

SPOTSWOOD - The fire department's loss of its nonprofit status is curtailing its ability to rent out its hall and bring in any money.

The all-volunteer department let its nonprofit status run out, according to Borough Council President Curtis Stollen, and now it cannot rent its building out due to insurance and liability problems.

Stollen was limited in what he could say because the matter is being discussed in closed session due to legal issues, he said. But he did say the department is in the process of regaining the nonprofit status.

The Borough Council was set to vote on an ordinance regarding the matter at its meeting last week, but pulled the itemfromthe agenda because it was "too early" to take action, Stollen said. The ordinance recognized the fire department as a volunteer group and allowed leasing of the hall by the fire company. The borough, not the fire department, owns the hall, which is located onMain Street next to St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

Stollen said the council is concerned that if the department rents out the hall, there would be liability issues.

"We need to recognize them as a nonprofit, to make sure we have the proper insurance in place to insure the hall for fundraising activities," he said.

The department has rented out the hall many times in the past, but now onlymembers of the first aid department and their families are allowed to use it due to the insurance holdup.

Stollen said the department uses the rentals as a way to raise funds for uniforms, installation dinners and auxiliary equipment that is needed.

"We certainly want to give them every opportunity to be able to raise funds for those things," he said. Another reason the department is not renting the hall out is because of tax issues resulting from loss of nonprofit status.

The building is the main firehouse in Spotswood, though there is another bay garage in town, Stollen said. That garage is located on the other side of the railroad tracks so that in the event of a train fire, the borough would have trucks fighting it from both sides.

The council discussed the matter in closed session on Feb. 11, and the ordinance was pulled because of negotiations still taking place, Stollen said.