By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
Voters approved four of the area’s five fire budgets Saturday, leaving only Chesterfield District 1 to face possible cuts.
In Chesterfield District 1, the $490,261 budget failed by a vote of 69-58, said Fire Commissioner Dana Boyadjian.
Under the proposed budget, $472,911 would have been raised through taxation. The district will now have to trim the budget, and has 30 days in which to meet with the Township Committee to make the final cuts.
Mr. Boyadjian said Tuesday the commission planned to meet that evening to discuss possible changes, but was at something of a loss to come up with expendable items on the budget. He said the commission might re-examine the amount it pays for water, firefighter training, maintenance and equipment, but was unsure of where they would be able to find much to cut.
”You can only cut back so much on maintenance and equipment,” he said.
Of the nine fire districts that cover part of Hamilton, he said Chesterfield District 1, which also covers Crosswicks, was the only budget that voters did not approve Saturday.
”Those districts have multimillion-dollar budget and all of them passed, here we are with less than a half-a-million-dollar budget and we get shot down,” he said. “It’s a little disappointing from that point of view.”
All three candidates running for fire commission seats were elected. Incumbents Joseph Dubell and Stanley Lewis received 94 and 100 votes, respectively, for three-year seats, while Brent Dickinson received 103 votes for a one-year unexpired term.
Voters in Chesterfield District 2 approved an increase of .3 cents per $100 of assessed home values by a vote of 23-6, which means an average bill of $305.29. The new budget is $234,866, with $191,498 to be raised through taxation.
Both candidates for three-year seats on the fire commission were elected, with incumbent Charles Jones receiving 23 votes and newcomer Robert Bruch receiving 21.
In Bordentown Township District 1, the $623,587 budget was approved by a 64-28 vote, with $532,101 to be raised through taxation and an estimated tax rate of 25.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
That’s a 1.9-cent tax increase over last year, and will lead to a fire tax bill of $637.50 for the owner of a house assessed at $250,000.
Incumbent Sal Guido, whose term expired, ran unopposed for the three-year seat, and won it with 88 votes.
Bordentown Township District 2 voters approved both the $1,321,488 budget, of which $1,256,376 will be raised through taxation, and a second ballot question to allow the hiring of two new full-time firefighters at a total cost of $121,664. The vote for both questions was 113-44.
Fire Commissioner Joseph Fresco was the sole candidate for the open three-year seat, and was re-elected with 155 votes. Three write-in candidates received one vote each.
Taxpayers will see a 1.9-cent increase in the tax rate, to 25.1 cents per $100 of assessed home value. For a house assessed at $250,000, the fire tax bill will be $627.50.
In Florence, which has one fire district, voters approved the $1,900,063 by a vote of 209-189. Of the new budget, $1,150,243 will be raised through taxation, but 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.
One of the township’s fire commission seats, a two-year unexpired term, was contested, while candidates for the two three-year terms were unchallenged.
Arnold Miller won the two-year seat with 192 votes, defeating Tom Stanuikynas, who received 176 votes.
Incumbent John Fratinardo and newcomer John M. Dulo won the three-year seats, earning, respectively, 220 and 198 votes.

