MILLSTONE: Capital plans cut from rejected fire budget

by Maria Prato-Gaines, The Packet Group
   MILLSTONE — The Township Council has cut $109,000 in capital expenditures from the Fire District 1 budget recently rejected by voters.
   Residents had shot down a proposed $1.84 million budget by a vote of 157-121 on Feb. 21.
   ”The turnouts are never typically as large as the general elections,” said Deputy Mayor Bob Kinsey. “But residents who came out to vote need to be heard, and they deserve to be heard.”
   A second question asking voters for permission to appropriate $58,951 above the 4 percent tax levy also was rejected by residents in a vote of 175-102, allowing local officials to automatically deduct the amount from the proposed budget. The second question included funding for such things as training and education, utilities, hydrant repair, computer office equipment and tools and supplies.
   The resulting $1.673 million budget was approved by the council March 18.
   Even with the cuts, the fire tax rate will see a slight increase of about a penny from its rate of about 8.6 cents per $100 of assessed value.
   Owners of a home assessed at the township’s $399,924 average will see a $36.50 increase in this year’s fire tax bill, paying about $380.
   In order to keep the tax rate low, fire officials used a large portion of last year’s surplus of about $155,000, with only about $597 remaining, said Fire District 1 President David Markunas
   Certain areas of the capital expenditures remained untouched, including some roof repairs, engine room painting and replacement of rotting doors.
   ”Some things are totally unavoidable,” Mr. Kinsey said.
   Of those capital expenditures, council members felt certain budget items like a new ice machine, repairing a dance floor and new front sign were unnecessary, given the economic climate.
   Officials made one of the larger cuts to grounds improvements, eliminating $25,000 worth of projects, which included fixing a flag pole, landscaping, pavement repair, building site work and exterior lighting.
   Council members praised fire officials for their tight spending in the operational budget and their cooperation in providing the documentation the process required.
   ”I do appreciate the transparency you put forward,” Mr. Kinsey said.
   Both an increasing debt service, mostly attributed to the recent and necessary purchase of a new truck, and rising pension obligations largely factored into this year’s higher budget figure, Mr. Kinsey said.
   After three previous years of budget defeats, some fire officials are alarmed at the trend. If budget defeats continue, the community could see the district scale back on its services, Mr. Markunas said.
   ”We have significant challenges ahead of us because our costs do continue to increase,” he said. “We continue to do more with less.”
   Council members pledged to work more closely with fire officials, already suggesting ways in which the district could pull in more revenue. Some suggestions included the district transferring funds to higher interest-yielding accounts and looking into interlocal agreements.