Small fire departments defend rise in spending

By David Carkhuff

Small fire departments are coming under the microscope for what they propose to spend in 2007.Redstone Fire Department commissioner Rod Henry met with a flurry of questions about the department's planned $10,000 hike in spending, mainly on gear reimbursement, clothing and equipment maintenance. Henry unveiled Redstone Fire Department's $51,950 budget to Conway Municipal Budget Committee on Jan. 8. The department spent $41,946 in 2006 out of a $42,000 budget.East Conway Fire Department, also under review by the budget committee, proposes a $43,050 budget in 2007, up from $40,600 in 2006.Budget committee member Bill Jones asked Henry if Redstone really needs a $15,000 capital reserve fund."We're going to get hit pretty hard over the next few years," Jones warned. "Maybe go for a gradual slap and not a grand slam."Maureen Seavey clarified that only Redstone taxpayers pay for the fire department budget. Doug Swett also noted the commitment of time made by firefighters. Bob Drinkhall added that his experience working on a master plan for North Conway Fire Department revealed how complicated and costly firefighting has become."It's an expensive endeavor, and they're not asking to spend very much," Drinkhall said.Still, the committee peppered Henry with questions about his budget. They learned that the department's capital reserve fund for large equipment purchases stands at $10,720 after an infusion of $10,000 by voters last year. The department's vehicles date back nearly 30 years, Henry said. Voters of the respective fire precincts will approve the budgets for their fire departments.Another discussion that focuses on the cost of running small fire departments, such as those in Center Conway, Redstone and East Conway, is expected to resume at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at Conway selectmen's meeting. Conway selectmen are grappling with the costs of providing fire coverage in non-precinct areas.Money for non-precinct fire coverage comes from taxpayers in town who do not live in precincts with fire and rescue services. Examples of non-precinct fire areas are Stack Road, Passaconaway Road, West Side Road and the new Kennett High School.Bob Barriault, a former budget committee member, urged selectmen to consider streamlining the formula for paying for non-precinct fire coverage by kicking out the budgets of the small departments.Barriault said rising budgets of the small fire departments may be inflating the formula."If I look at the total combined budgets of the five precincts from 2000 to 2006, there is a total of a 46 percent increase over that six-year period. If I look at just Conway and North Conway combined together, it's 38 percent," he told selectmen on Jan. 9."It says to me we're paying more than we probably need to in this particular formula," Barriault said.Basis of the contract for non-precinct fire coverage is equalized valuation of properties in the service area, which is any place that receives fire and rescue services from any of the departments, as well as the respective department budgets of all five precincts.Barriault argued that operating budgets of Conway and North Conway fire departments give an accurate reflection of actual cost to provide service. He added that while mutual aid agreements bring in other fire precincts to fight fires, Conway and North Conway are the contracted parties that receive funding from the town. Their budgets alone should factor into the funding they receive, not the budgets of the smaller departments, he argued.Selectmen did not warm to his argument. Mark Hounsell said the small fire departments should stay in the formula, even if their budgets are creeping up."I don't think we can improve on that by eliminating those districts in any meaningful way and maintain the consistency, with the premise that all of these departments provide fire and rescue service to the defined area," he said.Selectman Karen Umberger pointed out that those smaller fire departments' budgets remain relatively modest.This year, for the first time ever, all five Conway fire precincts Center Conway, Redstone, East Conway, North Conway and Conway Village have been involved in renegotiation of the contract that guarantees fire protection for non-precinct areas.In the town's 2007 budget, selectmen expect to spend $210,245 on a non-precinct fire agreement, although they admitted that following the formula would require a total of $221,000.Board members want protection from cost surges. A trigger clause in the draft agreement would require a meeting of the three parties representatives of the town and of the Conway and North Conway fire precincts if the cost of the contract rose or fell by 15 percent or more.The cost of non-precinct fire coverage is up from $176,967 in 2005."These increases are a concern," Hounsell said.After negotiating with the Conway and North Conway fire precincts, however, the town did not propose changing the formula. Town Manager Earl Sires said those fire departments like the formula."Both request that we continue to use the formula that has been used over the past several years as they feel that is most equitable and appropriate," Sires said.Hounsell agreed, "One of the reasons that we do this with the two precincts is because we don't want to micromanage who gets called out. We leave that up to the two providers."Also, the non-precinct tax rate has dropped from $1.21 per $1,000 assessed valuation in its first year to 72 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation last year, he pointed out.Umberger cautioned that the rate fell likely because valuation of property in the three smaller precincts has increased.Budget committee will continue its review of local budgets, based on the following schedule (all meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.):Wednesday, Jan. 17, at Conway Town Hall review of school budget. Monday, Jan. 22, at Conway Town Hall review of town budget.Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Conway Police Department review of school budget.Monday, Jan. 29, at Conway Town Hall review of school budget.Wednesday, Jan. 31, at Conway Town Hall review of school budget.Saturday, Feb. 3, at Conway Town Hall (9 a.m.) review of non-profit budgets.Assistant editor David Carkhuff can be contacted at david@conwaydailysun.com.