“They are changing many of our grants and you have to have a Fire Fee in place to be eligible to get these grants,” Cosner said.
“…he sees this as being a big benefit to the Fire Departments that historically struggle for funds,” Tomson said.
By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Davis Volunteer Fire Department Chief Allen Cosner addressed the Davis Town Council to discuss the need for the adoption of a Fire Fee by the Town Council. Under the proposal, residents and businesses would see a flat rate fee on their water and sewer bill that would be allocated to the Fire Department and its operational costs and needs. Currently, the Town has a donation on the water and sewer bills, but no established Fire Fee.
According to Cosner, the Fire Department is in need of the Fire Fee due to not only the rising cost of materials and operating costs, but without a Fire Fee, many grant opportunities are not available to the Department. “I have brought you a copy of a rough draft for a Fire Fee Ordinance due to everything growing, prices tripling,” Cosner said. “We got a donation now for the Fire Department on the Water bill but we’re restricted on grants. They are changing many of our grants and you have to have a Fire Fee in place to be eligible to get these grants.”
Cosner said the Fire Fee would supply a long term fund for the Department, as well as allow the Department the ability to qualify for as many grants as possible. Cosner also said that the fee would only benefit Davis Fire Department. “It will help the whole community with long term funding for the Fire Department and it will just be Davis Fire Department.”
Cosner said that the State has not attached any stipulations on Fire Fee funds, but he intends to not only separate the funding, but also has a plan in place for full accountability of the public funds. The funding record, according to Cosner, will be public information and his department will maintain records of transactions from the account that will be available for public review if requested. “Once it gets changed over to fee, it will be in its own account,” Cosner said. “As of now, the State doesn’t have stipulations on it, but all that money will be in its own account and everything that it is spent on will be kept a record of where it went and when it was spent. That way if anyone needs to know, its all public information.”
Cosner said that he had been in touch with Fire Departments in the City of Parsons and the City of Thomas about the Fire Fee. Both municipalities have a fee in place, according to Cosner. “I’ve talked with Parsons, I’ve talked to Thomas because they have both put these in place,” Cosner said. “Thomas’ goes into effect in July.”
Town of Davis Mayor Al Tomson said he had spoken with Thomas Mayor Jody Flanagan and that Mayor Flanagan was a supporter of a Fire Fee and was pleased that a fee had been implemented in Thomas. “He is really pleased that they had did this in Thomas,” Tomson said. “Because he sees this as being a big benefit to the Fire Departments that historically struggle for funds.”
Tomson said that he had also discussed the structuring of Thomas’ Fire Fee with Flanagan. According to Tomson, the fee in Thomas is structured differently depending on the use of the building with different fees for residential and commercial structures. Tomson gave the example of a residential unit having a fee of $5 a month, with a non-residential structure such as a business or Airbnb fee of $8 a month, a multi-family unit structure fee of $8 and an industrial structure fee of $12 a month. Tomson said by scaling the fee structure, the residents were not impacted with the largest fee. “The other thing that they view over there as being very beneficial is that the fee structure is different depending on what category your dwelling is in.”
According to Cosner the cost of a fire truck has gone up 123% in the last three years due to inflation. Cosner said that the cost of a new truck has gone from $580,000 three years ago to just under $1 million today. Cosner also said the cost of gear for fire fighters has also risen in recent years. Cosner also noted a cost of $14,000 a year for Workman’s Comp Insurance for his volunteer department. “Its getting ridiculous on the prices,” Cosner said. “We’re at $20,000 just to put somebody in gear and its got to be replaced every 10 years due to State and Federal mandates.”
The fee, according to Cosner would be only for the Davis Fire Department. When asked by Council Members if EMS would be included in the Fire Fee, Cosner said it only impacted the Town Fire Department, as EMS was its own entity and would be responsible for their own funding.
Council Members also voiced concerns over citizens refusal or inability to pay the additional fee. Tomson said that if it becomes a mandatory fee, citizens would have to pay. Cosner said he has been in touch with Parsons about an exemption program they have implemented for low income residents and those on fixed incomes. According to Cosner, Parsons only has applied for the exemption program. Tomson said that the Town would likely implement a similar program should the Fire Fee be adopted. “We would like to do that, too,” Tomson said. “We are going to have some people in the same situation.”
Tomson acknowledged that the Town is implementing raises in utility rates and the pressures these financial measures have on residents. “We’re raising water rates, we’re raising sewer rates, everythign is going up,” Tomson said. “And incomes are not keeping up with (that).”
Town Council Member Carrie Hawkins said that Fire Departments are closing due to increased financial pressures. “There’s a number of Fire Departments that are closing,” Hawkins said. “I mean we can’t let that happen, but it could.”
According to Cosner, the effective date for a Fire Fee would be determined by the Council should a Fire Fee be approved. No determination on the issue was made at the April 10th meeting of the Council. The issue was further addressed at the Town Council’s April 24th meeting. “I think that we need to keep thinking about it and talking about it and decide sooner than later that we’re going to do something about it,” Tomson said.
The Town of Davis Council meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at Davis Town Hall in Davis.
