News File Photo Tom Berriman, principal of Ella White Elementary School, addresses the Alpena Public Schools Board of Education in December.

ALPENA — The fate of suspended Ella White Elementary School Principal Tom Berriman and the future direction of the Alpena Township Fire Department could be decided tonight during a pair of local meetings.

The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education will vote on whether or not to renew Berriman’s contract after a pair of alleged incidents involving a special-needs student led to his discipline.

Meanwhile, the Alpena Township Board of Trustees will decide if a consultant should be hired to help formulate a plan for the fire department moving forward.

Both meetings are open to the public and public comment is welcome.

Alpena Public Schools Board of Education

Berriman, who has been on paid administrative leave since November, is under fire for allegedly mishandling the discipline of a disruptive special-needs student on two occasions at the school. He denies any wrongdoing, but has admitted maybe he could have handled things differently.

A pair of videos are in the hands of the school district, but it can not release them because they do not have permission from the child’s parents.

One of the alleged incidents involved Berriman picking up the student during a disruptive episode and carrying the child to an office. After the internal investigation by his superiors, Berriman was notified that administrators recommended his termination and would present that recommendation to the district’s Board of Education.

In February, the board voted 6 to 1, to consider the non-renewal of Berriman’s contract. Berriman had an opportunity to plead his case to remain with the school system at a meeting earlier this month, which set the stage for tonight’s potential action.

Meaghan Black has stepped in as principal at Ella White in Berriman’s absence.

Since word of his suspension, support for Berriman has risen and the number of people who have called for him to be reinstated to his role as principal is large and loud.

A Facebook page called “I Stand With Principal Berriman was created and has nearly 300 followers and during public comment sessions at meetings, many have voiced their support.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 5:30 pm in the auditorium at the Alpena High School.

A message was left with Berriman seeking comment.

Alpena Township Board of Trustees

At 6 p.m. tonight at the township office building, the Alpena Township Board of Trustees could vote to hire a consultant to help devise a plan the township can use to restructure the fire department and what the best options are moving forward.

The township intends to use a portion of the $920,000 it received from the federal government via the America Rescue Plan Act to pay a consultant, if the trustees elect to hire one.

Township trustees say an in-house plan has not been established and an independent opinion is needed.

For more nearly two years, the Alpena Township Fire Department has struggled to man and fund its fire department and each year, the trustees rely on a several hundred thousand dollar allocation from the general fund to pay supplement the money collected from a 1.5 mills property tax, owners pay for firefighting operations and will pay that tax through 2027.

The township’s proposed 2023-24 budget, which could be adopted tonight, includes $200,000 for the fire department.

In 2022, voters twice declined a 3-mill tax increase to help cover expenses, which forced the board’s hand to come up with another option.

Thus far, the board of seven has been divided on what the best path forward is. A minority of the board favor finding a partner to contract with to provide fire services, while the majority favors moving forward with the township maintaining full control of the department and making tweaks to it.

In 2021, the township trustees voted against entering into a contract with Alpena to have its fire department take over response for the township. The proposed contract for $400,000 would be adjusted by 2% up or down depending on the rate of inflation. There was a $475,000 cap on what the city would be paid. The contract would have been for five years with an automatic five-year renewal. In the end, the contract was voted down by a 4-3 margin.

The township did hire the city for six months to man its northside station in 2021, but once the deal expired, the township resumed full operations.

Earlier this year, the township sent out letters seeking interest from other neighboring municipalities who may have interest in forming a fire authority, but little if any correspondence was received in return.

It is not known if there are current talks between the township and city about a new contract proposal.

As costs climb and more pressure is applied to the township budget, cuts in services could be needed. In 2021, the trustees voted to reduce its department’s licensure from basic life support-non-transfer to medical first responder.

A message seeking comment was left with Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe.