Fire district discusses 2010 budget options
The Fort Myers Beach Fire District is trying to find a balance in its upcoming fiscal year budget now that its TRIM millage rate has been set to 3.00. The Beach Fire Commissioners are reviewing the budget, checking cost controls and sifting through other concessions on an individual basis while meeting with Chief Mike Becker to discuss different scenarios.
“If we can’t keep the millage rate high, sit down with labor and negotiate wage and benefit reductions, the options start going away pretty quickly,” said Becker. “Our strategy is that we have to do a really good job on the budget. This is just about surviving.
“I think the fire districts that aren’t on board with long-term financial protections are setting themselves up for next year because cash reserves are only a one-time expenditure. We want to maintain good reserves for disasters such as hurricanes so that the district is financially prepared.”
The first budget hearing will be held Friday, Sept. 4 at 5:05 p.m.
“That hearing will set the final hearing and at that final hearing, whatever millage rate and budget is set, that will be our budget,” said Becker. “In between now and then, we’ll be sitting down with labor and negotiate concessions in the Collective Bargaining Agreement to reduce personnel costs. There are a couple of choices that we get to make based on what the board does and what the labor guys do.”
Becker doesn’t want to see any of the Beach stations closed or fire fighters laid off, like in Lehigh.
“People need to be confident that our management team is looking out for their interests as well as our fire fighters’,” he said. “We have to make it happen. I have every bit of confidence that we are going to get that done. I’m fortunate because I think I have some of the best finance people who are giving me good options.”
The local district will hold two special commission meetings on Monday, Aug. 17. The first from 9 to 11 a.m. will center on policies, procedures and by-laws. The second from 1 to 3 p.m. discusses budgetary items. Those two informative sessions are slated a day before the FMB Fire Board of Commissioners’ monthly meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
“I would like to see a lot more people come out to our meetings,” said Public Information Officer Ramon Looby. “I think it’s critical for there to be a good civic process to have those who are affected by these choices come out and speak their mind so that they can be heard.”
Looby said planning for the FMB Fire District budget is a year-long process.
“The budgeting process doesn’t just come around in August for us,” said Looby. “The budgeting process is from Oct. 1 of our fiscal year to Sept. 30. We are always looking at ways to constrain costs to get the most out of the taxpayer’s dollar, and give it back to them. That’s why we are increasing our services, offering different programs and building an infrastructure that is going to be here for years to come. The management team is dedicated to that and I believe every member of our department is as well.”
TRIM- Truth in Millage
Known as an estimated tax rate, the TRIM notice identifies the taxable value of property and provides information on proposed millage rates and taxes as estimated by each taxing authority.
“The great thing about a TRIM rate is that it sets the cap at how high the rate can be,” said Looby. “Our citizens should be relieved that it won’t go any higher than (the set rate). The TRIM notice gives the taxing authorities the ability to make decisions that they may need to make -either by cuts or by working on internal numbers.
“To be able to try to provide the services that one has come to rely on has become a very delicate balancing act in this environment. If we are not able to make things flexible, and there is no more room to move, then it gets painful. We can’t rely on property values to stay static. They are dynamic.”
Looby doesn’t want to see the loss of services for citizens of the FMB fire district.
“We are dedicated to providing the people of our district the critical mission of life and property saving,” he said. “That’s what we are here for.”
At July’s fire meeting, Accountant Steve Baker was asked to present a detailed model on budgeting which included payroll to health-care costs to property value assessments, according to Looby. Baker is expected to be at the special commission meetings.
“Basically, he showed this model to our board so that they can have a better understanding of how the decisions they make today affect us tomorrow,” said Looby. “He also showed what to expect in the housing market with property values from the past three years all the way to the next five years.
“The situation we are facing has to be dealt with by a comprehensive approach. It has to be a multi-pronged approach to fix this problem. The burden doesn’t lie on one party here. Everyone has to get together. We are all working for the same thing -to keep people safe and provide them with the services that they have come to rely upon.