NE Fire District holds off on passing budget

MILLERTON — Having recently laid out the reality of how much the inevitable shift to a partially and eventually fully paid fire service will cost — and the 58% increase in fire district taxes called for in the 2022 North East Fire District’s budget,  the public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 19, was understandably lively.

The hearing was held at the North East Fire Annex at 6 p.m., drawing about 17 people at the start with more to come.

As the first speaker to directly address the budget increase, Millerton business owner Rob Cooper asked if the increase was meant to put the district “back in line” and what future years will look like for the district.

“I think our anticipation is not to have another 58% increase,” said North East Fire District Commissioner Joshua Schultz.

Schultz explained that what the district is doing is preparing its firehouse and other facilities to house what will be a modern version of the North East Fire District. That will entail a hybrid between volunteers and a paid staff.

Many projects must be completed to house the hybrid force, such as installing a fitness center, showers, sleeping quarters, a kitchen and bathrooms.

While he recognized the 58% increase as a big jump, Schultz said it will allow the district to hit the ground running and be prepared to finance paid firefighters’ salaries, workers’ compensation and other requisite insurance increases.

In previous years, Schultz admitted the district has been “lagging” as “the realization wasn’t there that this was going to be coming down the pike for the fire district, so we were behind the times.”

He also said the district doesn’t have a time line as it all depends on “how many people come through these doors to answer these alarms.”

Volunteers are badly needed to help staff the all-volunteer district at the moment.

One resident asked about whether this money was going to be put in an escrow account or go into a general fund, and whether there would be any oversight from citizens to keep track of the funds.

Schultz confirmed the money has gone into “a specific line for a specific purpose” and said the district openly welcomes the public to attend its monthly meetings.

Attending as a Millerton taxpayer, Mayor Jenn Najdek asked if, in hindsight, the district could have bumped the 58% increase out over five years.

“Any scenario that you could pitch could exist,” Schultz said, “but we chose to go the route we did so that we’d have the moneys in place to begin the projects and future payments… but we hit the ground running now so we can start the feasibility study to put the projects in motion.”

Addressing the issue of recruiting volunteers, resident Cathy Fenn asked Schultz why he felt there were less volunteers today.

The commissioners and district members said it’s most likely due to a number of socio-economic factors.

First Assistant Chief David Schultz highlighted the number of firefighters who work multiple, part-time jobs, who travel to work, who work out of town and how few young people are interested in volunteering.

Today, the average age of a volunteer in the district is 47; the oldest member is in the district is 89-year-old Bernie Silvernail, who has served for more than seven decades.

Anyone who is interested in helping the community and physically able to do so is encouraged to ask about joining.

This sparked a discussion  about the challenges of recruiting new members. Members stressed the number of hours they dedicate to responding to emergency calls while community members suggested ideas to sign up young people as firefighters.

A copy of the proposed budget, which reflects at 58% tax increase, is available at the North East Town Hall. The district plans to discuss and adopt the budget at its next workshop meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 2.