PYMATUNING TWP., Pa. - A verbal agreement was reached following a meeting of the Pymatuning supervisors Monday night that will restore fire and EMS service from the Transfer Volunteer Fire Department. 

Residents of Pymatuning Township have been without service since the new year.

The Transfer Volunteer Fire Department announced last Monday that their department would no longer provide fire and EMS protection for Pymatuning Township as of midnight when their contract for 2018 ran out. 

The contract dispute started over funding. 

The fire department asked for a 3 mil, five-year contract, the township only wanted to allocate 2.5 mils. 

The President of the Transfer Volunteer Fire Department says the verbal agreement is for a one year contract, which will give the fire department a quarter of a mill increase, which is about $7,000. The contract also calls for an independent look at the fire department and it's service to the township.

"We felt it prudent to have an independent, unbiased agency come in, do the survey and determine what level of fire service is needed in the community," said Township Supervisor John Miller.

The President of Transfer Volunteer Fire Department said they are not opposed to the study, but to compare them to other area townships isn't cut and dry.

"Like Hempfield (Township), Hempfield has Greenville right there and Greenville is on their every response. We are relying on other volunteer fire departments 90% of the time, that have limited manpower and resources as well," said President of the Transfer Volunteer Fire Department Danielle Gilarno.

Gilarno says a formal contract is expected to be signed within the next week. In the meantime, she says fire and EMS service is back in operation for the township through their verbal agreement.

After the one-year expires and the study is complete, negotiations will again take place.