Fire Department Funding Topic Of Lengthy Special Budget Committee Meeting
Special Called Meeting, Jefferson County Budget Committee, January 29, 2018
Staff Photo by Jeff Depew
Jefferson County Fire Department funding was the topic of a lengthy special Budget Committee meeting that was held on Monday, January 25, 2018. Though budget season is still a few weeks away, last budget season the Budget Committee made the commitment to address fire department funding before the actual budget season begins. Always one of the most controversial and time consuming parts of the budget, the ability of the Budget Committee to find enough votes to approve a funding package for the local fire departments is an early accomplishment for the fiscal year 2018/19 budget.
While the final package included an increase over the fiscal year 2017/18 regular budget numbers, most departments came in close to the amount that they received after the Budget Committee appropriated additional funding late in the budget process. Though the understanding was that those 2017/18 bonuses would be a one time allocation, the fiscal year 2018/19 numbers are very close for most departments. As has become the norm when debating fire department funding several motions were made and rejected before Committee Member Beeler called for reconsideration of a previous motion that failed in a tie vote.
Previous to the Budget Committee meeting, representatives from the municipalities met with County Mayor Palmieri and County Commission Chair Tucker to discuss a funding mechanism that might work for both the municipal and county fire departments. Melissa Peagler, Town Administrator for Dandridge, distributed a funding formula that was the result of that meeting. In the original formula, every fire department received a base pay of $55,000, with the exception of Parrotts Chapel which was moved to $25,000 during the current fiscal year due to non receipt of necessary funding paperwork. Added to that base was an amount per population base that is covered by each individual department for a total funding number. The formula offered three tiers of funding-$2.50-$5-$7.50 per population total covered. That number was combined with a Improvement Bonus that allowed the departments to receive additional funding for items such as ISO rating, Certified Firefighter, Substations and County Buildings covered.
Though some on the Budget Committee were in favor of a formula that would allocate funds by numbers covered and offered incentive for improvements, the bottom line appeared to be the holding point, with the least expensive plan coming in over $750,000. Discussion surrounded keeping the number as close to the 2017/18 numbers as possible ( around $670,000). Failed offerings included a Carmichael/Douglas motion to fund every department at $75,000 and a Scarlett/Douglas motion for $55,000 across board as a base ( including Parrots Chapel), $10,000 to the Rescue Squad in addition and $1 per population. Also failing on a first run was a motion from Tucker/McGraw that used the formula provided from the meeting but lowered the population pay to $1 per and paid the bonus at 75% of the presented rate. On amendment from Huffaker it would also provide $10,000 for the Rescue Squad in addition. The motion as amended failed in a tie vote. The motion was brought back for reconsideration by Committee Member Beeler who voted against the original motion. The reconsideration was 2nd by Musick and amended twice. Commissioner Tim Seals expressed his concern that the formula still left those without a heavy population base shy of the total of the current year’s funding which is $65,000 for smaller departments including the bonus. He offered an amendment that moved Lakeway, Talbott Kansas, Baneberry and Chestnut Hill to $65,000 and was 2nd by Carmichael. The amendment passed 8-2 with Scarlet and Huffaker voting No. McGraw/Douglas amended the motion to removed the bonus for County building coverage and the amendment was approved. The motion to reconsider, as amended twice, was approved in a 6-4 split with Committee Members Musick, Carmichael, Douglas and Scarlett voting No.
The plan,as approved, comes with a price tag that is a little north of $700,000 which is in the neighborhood of what the cost would have been to leave the fire departments at last year’s budget plus bonus levels ( with the inclusion of Parrots Chapel). Lakeway, Talbott Kansas, Baneberry, Chestnut Hill the Rescue Squad and Dandridge Fire Departments will be funded at the same level as the current fiscal year. New Market should have a small increase and Jefferson City will have a more substantial increase over the current fiscal year’s funding. White Pine may see a slight decrease in funding, depending on final population numbers.
With a funding amount approved for the local fire departments, the Budget Committee will have time to address other hot topic items such as non profit funding and the possibility of funding a training facility for local fire fighters, a project that at least one Committee Member, Commissioner McGraw, felt was worthy of a second look. He noted that it would be a project that would be used universally by our local departments and could contribute to the spirit of comradery among our local fire fighters, which would be helpful for decision making and during budget time. Whether or not that will come to pass is still to be seen. Jefferson City has land earmarked for the project and there could be a buy in from other municipalities but that topic of discussion was left for another meeting on another day. As for the outcome of Monday’s meeting, Committee Member McGraw said “ With these kind of discussions there are always perceived winners and losers but it was a worthy effort. It was as close to equitable as we can get.”
