It looks like an expansion of the Cardinal Joint Fire District will not be happening after all.

Canfield City Council has rejected the expansion of the Cardinal Joint Fire District.

The expansion would have included the Boardman Fire Department-but after a year of discussing the proposed merger-council decided against it.

Canfield Mayor Don Dragish says it would be unnecessary burden to taxpayers and adding Boardman doesn't benefit them in any single way.

Members of city council say their residents should come first and a majority of them have said they don't want to change services and so based off information they have at this time - it doesn't make sense to add Boardman.

"Personally, I have not had anyone from the township or city that I have talked with that was not associated with the first district saying anything about why we should expand the district," said Councilman Charles Tiesch. "...If it's not broke don't fix it."

Don Hutchison, Fire chief for the Cardinal Joint Fire District had asked council to hold off on voting on this resolution until all the details of the expansion come out of committee - he feared what Boardman's response might be - but city council members felt they shouldn't base their decision on how Boardman would react. 

Council feels that in the end- both departments will keep up their mutual aide partnership in the spirit of public safety. They also said, this resolution could be changed if they get new information.