Crime & Safety
Letter: South Fire Commissioners Urge a 'Yes' Vote on Budget
Letter to the Editor
The annual South Fire District Budget Vote is Tuesday. As fire commissioners we believe the proposed 4.99 million dollars budget is a responsible one. It provides a reasonable level of fire protection and emergency medical response. Two items account for the $391,000 increase in spending, salaries and benefits for our firefighters and equipment replacement.
We have a busy department responding to an average of 7 emergencies per day and some days as many as 15 or more calls. Our staffing is substantially below what is considered adequate for a district with our level of commercial, industrial and residential fire potential and physical size, but we believe it is the best the district can afford. South Fire is tasked with responding to all the potential hazards of a medium sized city including two of the largest electric power plants in Connecticut and one of the largest manufacturing complexes in the state, 5 schools, a college, two nursing homes, senior housing, public housing and the city’s two busy banquet halls.
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Wages and benefits have lagged so far behind other departments that during the last 6 years, 16 firefighters, equal to half our force, left South District to work elsewhere. At a cost of approximately $10,000 to train and equip one firefighter that is $160,000 we cannot afford to keep wasting. Thousands of additional dollars were spent on overtime, to maintain minimum staffing.
Our responsibility was to find a solution. In the past year, we negotiated a pay and benefits package we believe will close the revolving door. Our firefighters will still earn less than many of their counterparts providing a comparable level of service but we have taken steps to close the gap.
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In recent years we kept taxes level, but in doing so we did not set aside enough for equipment replacement. In the coming year, we must replace a 15 year old pumper at a cost of $500,000. In two years, our 18 year old combination ladder/pumper truck will be at the end of its useful life. Replacement cost will be in the area of one million dollars. The proposed budget includes $278,000 toward future equipment replacement.
Finally we must address the proposed 4.331 mill rate. While it is an increase from the current 3.648 mill rate, keep in mind the effects of last year’s revaluation. Most residential properties went down in value and, a mill rate of 4.2 to 4.9 would be necessary to cause an increase in taxes. With a 4.331 mill rate many homeowners will pay the same or a little less in the coming year. Some will pay a bit more, mostly because revaluation picked up improvements that increased the value of those properties.
As fire commissioners, we urge all district residents to vote YES, so we can maintain this basic level of service. Voting is from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, April 29th at the firehouse on Randolph Rd.
David P. Gallitto, Commission Chairman
Edward J. Creem Jr., Commissioner
William F. Gregorio Sr., Commission Vice Chairman
David F. Darling, Commissioner
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