Results of Fire Board Budget Workshop

Hello Citizens,

The Board/Council resolved the budget issue by allowing the undesignated "storage" account to deplete nearly to $0. Deferring around $55,000 in payments to vehicle replacement reserves prevented the "storage" fund from going into the red. In past years, this fund has been maintained at nearly $1,000,000.

As you can probably surmise, this is merely a temporary fix: duct tape and super glue. Fire District expenses still exceed Fire District revenues by around $800,000.


The Board/Council decided that they will re-visit the budget situation during our "mid-year review" which usually takes place in January, usually later.

This budget "fix" would have been more than marginally acceptable if the rest of the Board would have been willing to seriously entertain some remedies that were meaningful and enduring. The ones I suggested (see my previous blog) were grudgingly heard and clearly not considered. My colleagues were unable to come up with any enduring solutions of their own.

So, what solutions will my colleagues consider at the "mid-year review?" Without consideration of some creative alternatives, I'm afraid that my colleagues will have painted the Fire District into a corner. The only option that I see them considering at that time would be a raise in fees/taxes for ratepayers. If my colleagues do not allow for consideration of alternatives, I will oppose further burdening our taxpayers at that time, particularly when it would be unnecessary.

Michael