Colmar Volunteer Fire Company Asks Court to Halt Contract Termination by Montgomery Township Supervisors; Lawsuit Seeks Restraining Order and Release of Unpaid Funds.

Business Editors/Legal Writers

NORRISTOWN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2002

Colmar Volunteer Fire Company has filed a lawsuit in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court to prevent the Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors from ending their contract with Colmar for fire protection services.

Lawyers for the fire company filed a motion for peremptory judgment at the Montgomery County Courthouse late yesterday, asking the court to find that the supervisors' vote last July to terminate the fire company's contract at the end of December was arbitrary and illegal. The litigation seeks to require the township to place the issue on the ballot before a change occurs.

The filing further asks the court to order the township to pay more than $313,000 in tax revenues owed to the fire company under its current contract for fire protection services.

"The board of supervisors acted without cause to end a relationship that Colmar built with the township over the past 60 years. Our volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect the residents and businesses that make up their home community. They deserve better than this," said fire company President William P. Marshall.

"The supervisors chose to drop a volunteer fire company that provides a superior community fire protection service so they can start from scratch with a new company that has fewer volunteers and lacks the equipment base to adequately serve the entire township," Marshall said. "The supervisors have refused to explain or justify their action not only to our satisfaction, but also, and more importantly, to the community."