By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
Voters will decide the fate of five area fire district budgets Saturday, Feb. 21. While a number of seats are up for grabs on fire commissions, the only contested race is in Florence.
Voting will take place from 2 to 9 p.m.
CHESTERFIELD
In District 1, which encompasses Crosswicks and part of Hamilton Township, voters will be asked to approve a budget of $490,261, with $472,911 to be raised through taxation. That would create an estimated tax rate of 9.6 cents per $100 of assessed home value, 1.2 cents higher than last year’s rate. For the owner of a house valued at last year’s township average of $462,568, this would create a bill of about $444.10.
The $100,412 increase over last year’s budget is due primarily to the purchase of a new fire truck that was approved by referendum this summer, said Fire Commissioner Dana Boyadjian. The money is needed to pay interest on the bond used to pay for the truck. The vehicle may be ready in August.
The referendum passed Aug. 16 by a vote of 77-66, allowing the district to buy the $630,000 truck. Officials said previously that the purchase was necessary to serve the new two-story houses in the township, as well as the new Chesterfield Elementary School, which broke ground Jan. 10.
Mr. Boyadjian said the other main reason for the rate hike is the cost of new fire hydrants and water lines leading to them. More hydrants have been needed due to the recent development in the township, he explained.
In District 1, two incumbents, Joseph Dubell and Stanley Lewis, will run for three-year seats as fire commissioners. Brent Dickinson will run to finish out a one-year, unexpired term to which he was appointed after former Fire Commissioner James Quinn moved out of the state late last year.
Voting will take place at the Union Fire Department on New Street in Crosswicks.
In District 2, voters will face a $234,866 budget, with $191,498 to be raised through taxation. If approved, the overall budget would increase $7,320, and the amount raised via taxation would go up $7,923.
The tax rate would rise .3 cents to 6.6 cents per $100 of assessed property value, for an average bill of $305.29.
Mr. Homa said the increase is necessary because the fire company has more members, leading to a higher insurance cost and a need for more gear. Truck maintenance is also a factor, he said.
The district has two open three-year seats this year, for which incumbent Charles Jones and newcomer Robert Bruch are running. Mr. Bruch was appointed to take over the term of retired fire commissioner Donald Longstraight when the latter retired in March of 2008, and this will be his first election.
Voting will take place at the Chesterfield Fire Department on Bordentown-Chesterfield Road.
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP
In District 1, which covers the northern part of the township, voters will be asked to consider a 1.9-cent tax increase.
Of the $623,587 budget, $532,101 will be raised through taxation, with an estimated tax rate will be 25.5 cents per $100 of assessed home value.
The proposed budget is actually $853 less than the budget passed last year, fire commissioner and board secretary Tim Kinsely said, but the district has less surplus money this year with which to offset taxation.
The budget, he continued, is nothing unusual and will cover basic operating costs, include employee raises and benefits, utilities, and gas.
In the district, only one position will be available on the board. Incumbent Sal Guido, whose term is expiring, will run unopposed for the three-year seat.
Voting will take place at the Mission Fire Co., 51 Groveville Road, Yardville.
Information for District 2 could not be obtained by press time.
FLORENCE
The townshipwide district will ask voters to approve a $1,900,063, with $1,150,243 to be raised by taxation.
While the proposed budget would raise $80,952 through taxes and $149,933 overall compared to last year, this is not anticipated to change the tax rate, which is estimated to remain at 17.8 cents for every $100 of assessed home value.
Surplus funds will make up the bulk of the difference, according to fire official Kevin Mullen, and an increase in ratables in the township will allow the tax rate to remain stable.
The overall rise in the budget is due largely to capital projects the district had previously planned for this year, he explained.
In 2007, township voters approved a three-year apparatus replacement program by a vote of 102-81, with a support vehicle and an aerial device scheduled for 2009.
”The rest of (the raise) is just general expenses going up… the cost of running the Fire Department,” Mr. Mullen said.
One of the township’s fire commission seats, for a two-year unexpired term, is contested, while two three-year terms are unchallenged.
Incumbent Tom Stanuikynas and newcomer Arnold Miller are both running for the unexpired term. Mr. Stanuikynas’ three-year seat is set to expire this year.
Incumbent John Fratinardo, who was previously appointed to the board to fill out an unexpired term, will run for one of the three-year seats, and newcomer John M. Dulo will run for the other.
Current fire commissioner Jack Jobes, whose term expires this year, has not filed to run.
Voting will take place at the Florence Township Fire Department at 401 Firehouse Lane.

