Fire Board sets tentative millage and budget
The Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Board of Commissioners adopted a tentative millage rate and budget for fiscal year 2009/10 in front of a raucous crowd at its first public hearing at Fire Station #31 at 3043 Estero Blvd. Friday.
Commissioner Carol Morris began the resolution motion which included setting the second and final hearing date to Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 5:05 p.m. and the following legal wording by FMB Fire District Attorney Richard Pringle. The motion passed 4-1 with Commissioner Betty Goodacre abstaining.
“The Resolution 09-01 adopted a tentative millage rate for fiscal year 2009/10 setting a final public hearing providing for an effective date whereas the Board of Commissioners of the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District set the tentative millage rate for 2009/10 fiscal year on Sept. 4, 2009, and hereby adopts and sets the tentative millage rate of 2.3017 mils which is 2.3017 dollars for $1,000 of new taxable value which begins Oct. 1, 2009,” said Pringle. “The above stated tentative millage rate of 2.3017 mils is the roll back rate so it does not change. It is a zero percent change.
The FMB Fire Commissioners then adopted a tentative budget for the same fiscal year. Morris again made the motion which passed unanimously by a 5-0 count.
“I’ll make a motion to adopt the Resolution 09-02 for the money generated by a millage rate of 2.3017 to be used as total operating expenditures of $9,346,629 for total expenditures and revenue generated by the agreed millage rate of $14,227,544,” said Morris.
The motions followed 35 minutes of public comment which included 16 Beach residents either questioning the proposed mill rate increase and/or the chronological order of proposing the millage rate before setting the budget; calling for sacrifices in personnel and/or a fire house; reducing expenditures or cutting expenses; and asking for a decrease in fire vehicles per emergency visit.
The Fire Control District administrative staff will now make adjustments to the budget to accommodate the adopted resolutions so that the Board of Commissioners will have the opportunity to adopt the final millage rate and budgetary numbers on Sept. 15.