MILLSTONE – On Election Day, Feb. 17, the Millstone Township Fire District will seek voter approval for two items: a $2.2 million budget for 2018 and the purchase of a new fire vehicle that will replace two aging vehicles.
If the budget is approved, the fire district tax paid by the owner of a home that is assessed at the township average will drop by $9 from 2017, according to fire district representatives.
All registered voters in Millstone Township are eligible to vote in the fire district election, which will be held from 2-9 p.m. Feb. 17 at the firehouse, 461 Stagecoach Road.
Voters will be asked to approve a $2.2 million budget to support the operation of the fire district and to fund its 2018 operating expenses. The budget will be supported through the collection of $1.9 million in fire district taxes to be paid by the township’s property owners.
In 2017, voters approved the collection of $1.8 million in local taxes to support a $2 million budget for the fire district. The fire district’s tax rate was 10.99 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and the average home assessment was $532,623. The owner of that home paid $527 in fire district taxes.
In 2018, the average home assessment in Millstone Township has decreased to $525,300 and the fire district’s tax rate will decrease to 9.86 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. If the budget is approved as proposed, the owner of that home will pay $518 in fire district taxes, a decrease of $9 from 2017, according to fire district officials.
A fire district tax is one component of a property owner’s tax bill, which also includes Monmouth County taxes, municipal taxes, school taxes and other assessments. Individuals pay more or less in taxes depending on the assessed value of their home and/or property.
The second question on the ballot seeks approval for the purchase of a custom built combination rescue pumper fire engine at a total cost not to exceed $878,000. Under state law, voter approval is required for the purchase.
If the purchase is approved, the cost of the new vehicle will not result in any additional costs to a property owner’s tax bill, according to fire district representatives.
The new engine, a Pierce Velocity Rescue Pumper, is intended to replace a 1997 pumper and a 1993 special services rescue truck. Fire district representatives have said the purchase of the vehicle will yield savings in future fuel costs and maintenance costs by reducing the Millstone Township Fire Company’s fleet by one truck.
The rescue pumper can respond to fires and to motor vehicle accidents, the latter of which is the most common emergency to which fire company personnel respond.
According to fire district representatives, motor vehicle accidents requiring the aid of the fire company increased by 122 percent from 2000 to 2016, with firefighters responding to 44 accidents in 2000 and to 143 accidents in 2016.
The Pierce Velocity Rescue Pumper is equipped with a 750-gallon water tank and foam systems to fight fires and has more storage space for firefighting and rescue equipment to respond to motor vehicle accidents and other emergencies.
Fire officials hope to increase efficiency with the new vehicle instead of having to send a pumper and a rescue truck to emergencies, as vital functions are divided among the two vehicles, according to fire district representatives.
If voters approve the purchase of the vehicle, the fire district will issue bonds or notes to enter into a lease-purchase agreement to pay for the truck. The agreement will last 10 years, after which the fire company will own the vehicle, according to fire district representatives.