The Board of Supervisors of Mahoning Township held off on the annual recognition of its fire and ambulance companies Wednesday night, pending further review by the township’s solicitor.

Board member David Pollock brought forth the resolution to name Mahoning Valley Volunteer Fire Department and Mahoning Valley Ambulance as the township’s official fire and ambulance entities, respectively. Pollock also highlighted a need to revisit the current workers’ compensation laws.

Before voting to table the initial resolution, supervisors discussed adopting a new regulation which would require fire company members to gain permission before attending non-fire-related events if they are to be covered by workers’ compensation in the case of an accident. The resolution would bring the township up to date with current workers’ compensation law.

Board Chairman Bruce Steigerwalt said he had no problem making Mahoning Valley Volunteer Fire Department the township’s official fire protection. But he added that two separate motions might need to be drafted to regulate volunteers at the ambulance company the same way as those at the firehouse.

While the township has claimed Mahoning Valley Ambulance as its response team in the past, Steigerwalt said depending on where you’re located, they might not respond to certain emergencies. He told the story of one instance when, after calling emergency services for his wife from their Mahoning home, a Northampton company responded.

“The way it’s supposed to work, and the way it actually works, are two different things,” he said.

Board member Robert Slaw brought up that before voting on the workers’ compensation resolution for the ambulance, he wanted to make sure paid company members are covered by the ambulance association, not the township.

“I want to know who we’re covering and who we’re not,” Slaw said.

Supervisors decided to table the workers’ compensation matter until their solicitor, Thomas Nanovic, could look further into the matter, shelving the vote to designate its official fire and ambulance companies until a future meeting as well.