CENTRAL JERSEY: Voters approve fire budgets

By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
   Voters approved fire budgets and re-elected incumbent fire commissioners in both Millstone and Plumsted townships on Saturday.
Millstone
   In Millstone, the $1.7 million total fire budget with a $1.5 million tax levy (the amount raised by taxation) was overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 135 to 20.
   The spending plan calls for no increase in fire taxes and holds the rate to 8.5 cents per $100 in assessed value. Under this tax rate, a home assessed at the current township average of $449,756 will pay about $382 a year in fire taxes.
   The two incumbent Millstone fire commissioners, who had no opponents in the race, were easily re-elected. Commissioner Larry Cier received 122 votes and Commissioner Ron Gesulado received 125 votes.
   ”On behalf of the Millstone Township Fire Department, I would like to thank the residents of Millstone for their approval of this year’s budget,” David Markunas, chairman of the Millstone Board of Fire Commissioners, said Sunday. “The support of the residents ensures that our dedicated firefighters are properly trained and equipped to provide emergency response services when situations arise.”
Plumsted
   The $2,185,093 total fire budget with a $1,287,000 tax levy (the total amount raised by taxation) was narrowly approved by a 10-vote margin in Saturday’s voting. There were 177 votes in favor of the budget and 167 votes against it.
   The budget sets the 2012 fire tax rate at 12 cents per $100 in assessed value, which is a 1.4-cent increase over the current tax rate. The tax levy increase is within the allowable 2 percent cap set by the state.
   A 12-cent tax rate means the owner of a Plumsted home assessed at the current township-wide average of $378,000 will pay $453 in fire taxes in 2012.
   Most of the increase in the 2012 budget is for a new ambulance, radio equipment and a new fire truck. The spending for the ambulance and radio equipment were approved in a special voter referendum last fall.
   Four of the five seats on the Plumsted Board of Fire Commissioners were also up for grabs in Saturday’s voting: two seats with full three-year terms, one seat for an unexpired two-year term, and one seat for a one-year unexpired term.
   Commissioner David Gindlesperger and Commissioner Aaron Heller were re-elected in the three-way race for the two full-term seats. Mr. Gindlesperger earned 220 votes and Mr. Heller 190 votes. Challenger Mike Mains received 172 votes.
   Commissioner Eric Heiss ran unopposed in his bid for a two-year unexpired term. Mr. Heiss, a recent appointee to the board, earned 273 votes.
   In the contested race for one seat with a one-year unexpired term, Victor Seidman defeated Sam LeNoble. Mr. Seidman earned 176 votes and Mr. LeNoble 130.