The 2012 budget is due in a month, and commissioners for Island County Fire District 3 have difficult choices to make.
Revenues are down and expenses are up, leaving the fire district’s leaders to choose between the fire and the frying pan by the next board meeting Nov. 17.
“With the current economy and the fact our revenues are decreasing over time, we have to have a tough discussion about it,” said Fire Chief Rusty Palmer.
Among the top concerns is the Bayview facility.
A capital work request was put in to either build a new facility there, or repair the existing one. The permit is still before the board and needs to have some conditions satisfied and officials are now considering a redesign.
“The board is in a tough spot because it’s the best time to build, but money’s hard to get,” Palmer said.
The work request is for a replacement station on Bayview Road near Bayview School. Should the fire station be replaced, other projects, including a new administration building and a training center, would also be considered.
Money for a remodel is in the budget, but Palmer said the commissioners and he need to decide if a remodel or a new building would better serve the community. The current plan includes an administration building, and behind that would be the training ground with a tower, pit and pump pit.
“I think it would suit the citizens better if we were centralized,” Palmer said. The administration is in Freeland, the north end of the fire district’s boundary, he explained.
“It’s not just a question of if we raise the money, it’s a question of how we raise the money. We understand that spending money isn’t real popular right now.”
To help increase revenues while property values decrease, Palmer is exploring the option of a levy lid lift. The fire district took another step in that direction by contacting Liz Loomis Public Affairs for a proposal to promote and research the lid lift, and initially for advice about when to pursue it.
“That’s the very first step,” Palmer said.
Commissioners authorized Palmer to meet with Loomis again to specify the contract proposal. He expects a decision by the November board meeting about whether or not to continue with a consultant contract.
A more immediate service-related budget concern revolves around replacing the fire district’s aerial apparatus. It’s 32 years old.
“Unfortunately in the fire service, aerial apparatus are the most expensive,” Palmer said. “So the timing isn’t good to replace it.”
The aerial apparatus, or water ladder, has been repaired frequently. But maintenance costs are climbing as parts become rarer for the aging truck, Palmer said. He put in a capital expense request for $750,000 for a new one.
“Thank goodness we don’t have to buy them on a regular basis,” Palmer said. “It’s the type of apparatus we thankfully don’t use all the time, but we need it on hand.”
