POSTED ON BEHALF OF Concerned Citizens of 2nd and 9th Districts...
In early June, we sent a letter concerning the potential for a Co 6 Fire/EMS station supported by a maximum tax increase request. Here is some additional information we would like to share with you.
The Co 6 webpage has a donation request to fund a new Fire/EMS station with restricted funds donated by the community. Unfortunately, they do not state what the monetary goal of this public solicitation is to provide. It is unknown if they are trying to collect enough money for the entire new Fire/EMS station or for a certain percentage of the estimated construction cost? Donation activity provided for that restricted account, could be interpreted as to giving them a vote of confidence on the need for a maximum tax rate increase.
Based on the FY2018 budget submittal to the county, Co 6 collected $555,112 from fire and rescue taxes at the current rates for fiscal year 2016. Their estimation for the cost of the new building as submitted is $8.0 million and their stated goal is to provide a facility to meet the needs of the community for the next 50 years. In order to compensate for increased spending, they are not only requesting public donations, they have indicated that they are going to request a Fire and Rescue tax increase in the FY 2019 budget. However, these are proposed/estimated and not actual numbers.
According to their Capital Improvement portion of the budget submitted, the justification for the new Fire/EMS station, states that that the current location of the proposed building is centrally located to 90% of EMS and 96% percent of Fire calls. Based on their FY2018 budget submittal to the county for call statistics during fiscal year 2016, there were 951 ems calls in the area/district with 348 outside of the area/district. That would equate to 1299 total ems calls of which only 73% of calls were in the area/district? They reported a total of 258 fire calls in the area with a total of 158 calls outside the area in FY2016. That equates to 416 total calls with only 62% being in the area/district? Clearly the justification to remove the Chingville satellite station was skewed to favor the new Fire/EMS station at the Valley Lee location.
However, in the FY2018 budget submitted to the county, Co 6 submitted a Capital Purchase Plan that includes purchasing land for a Chingville Station in the Fiscal Year 2021 for $ 750,000. If a satellite station is not required, why is it being proposed as a Capital Improvement? Also, if they are going to maximize the tax increase for a new Fire/EMS station, how can they afford to purchase the land for a substation?
If concerned or have any questions, please contact the Concerned Citizens of 2nd and 9th Districts at concerncitizens2and9district@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Concernedcitizensof2ndand9thdistrict-St-Marys-County-1572519312789805/
In early June, we sent a letter concerning the potential for a Co 6 Fire/EMS station supported by a maximum tax increase request. Here is some additional information we would like to share with you.
The Co 6 webpage has a donation request to fund a new Fire/EMS station with restricted funds donated by the community. Unfortunately, they do not state what the monetary goal of this public solicitation is to provide. It is unknown if they are trying to collect enough money for the entire new Fire/EMS station or for a certain percentage of the estimated construction cost? Donation activity provided for that restricted account, could be interpreted as to giving them a vote of confidence on the need for a maximum tax rate increase.
Based on the FY2018 budget submittal to the county, Co 6 collected $555,112 from fire and rescue taxes at the current rates for fiscal year 2016. Their estimation for the cost of the new building as submitted is $8.0 million and their stated goal is to provide a facility to meet the needs of the community for the next 50 years. In order to compensate for increased spending, they are not only requesting public donations, they have indicated that they are going to request a Fire and Rescue tax increase in the FY 2019 budget. However, these are proposed/estimated and not actual numbers.
According to their Capital Improvement portion of the budget submitted, the justification for the new Fire/EMS station, states that that the current location of the proposed building is centrally located to 90% of EMS and 96% percent of Fire calls. Based on their FY2018 budget submittal to the county for call statistics during fiscal year 2016, there were 951 ems calls in the area/district with 348 outside of the area/district. That would equate to 1299 total ems calls of which only 73% of calls were in the area/district? They reported a total of 258 fire calls in the area with a total of 158 calls outside the area in FY2016. That equates to 416 total calls with only 62% being in the area/district? Clearly the justification to remove the Chingville satellite station was skewed to favor the new Fire/EMS station at the Valley Lee location.
However, in the FY2018 budget submitted to the county, Co 6 submitted a Capital Purchase Plan that includes purchasing land for a Chingville Station in the Fiscal Year 2021 for $ 750,000. If a satellite station is not required, why is it being proposed as a Capital Improvement? Also, if they are going to maximize the tax increase for a new Fire/EMS station, how can they afford to purchase the land for a substation?
If concerned or have any questions, please contact the Concerned Citizens of 2nd and 9th Districts at concerncitizens2and9district@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Concernedcitizensof2ndand9thdistrict-St-Marys-County-1572519312789805/