Fire chief preps for tough budget “season”
Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Chief Mike Becker is preparing for another tough few months ahead. It’s budget season once again and, since recent preliminary numbers estimate the town’s taxable values have decreased another 6.7 percent for 2010 leading to property values perhaps going down again, the forecast seems troubling.
“Costs go up, fuel goes up, our health insurances go up and our liability insurance goes up. This is problematic,” said Becker. “We have increasing costs and decreasing revenue. This is the fourth consecutive year of decreasing property values. We have almost a 40 percent decline since 2007. How long can we go?”
According to the Lee County Property Appraiser, Beach property values have dropped from $3.248 billion to $3.027 billion. This decrease is a preliminary indicator to set the fire budget roll back rate and subsequently the tentative millage rate and final millage rate before the fiscal year ends Sept. 30. Final taxable values will be made available July 1.
“Right now, we would have to go from a roll back rate of 2.58 to 2.75 to generate the same amount of revenue that we did last year,” said Becker. “Our millage cap is 3.00, so there is not a lot of room left.”
Even with the preliminary taxable value report and a raise in millage imminent, Becker is leery about discussing the stressful consequences from another projected loss of revenue.
“I do not want to incite fear in the community. I don’t want to discuss layoffs. I have a good group of people, and I want to keep them,” he said. “This is a workable problem for me. We are here to serve, and I don’t think for one moment we are hitting a position where we cannot answer calls or have staffing on our trucks.
“Collectively, we have to work hard in getting a good agreement with the fire fighters. We also need to be very conservative with our expenditures. We are updating our comprehensive plan right now. We’re strategizing for the long-term financial impacts. If we do these things, we can survive and develop a healthy organization moving forward. I’m going to fix this.”
Becker shared he was a District 15 vice president for the union under Chief Marcus and understands why union representatives are concerned about negotiations.
“I understand the union’s issues, and I understand why they are upset,” he said. “I understand their thought process.”
Recently, the district negotiating team declared a contract impasse with IAFF Local 1826 District 3 Union officials based on insignificant counter proposals, says Becker.
“We’ve been at negotiations since July of last year. Since we have been at the table, we have not been able to make any progress. In fact, our positions have grown further apart,” he said. “Based on the last counter proposal, we are unable to achieve any financial significance.”
Even with the impasse, Becker said negotiations would continue. He hopes to reach an agreement before a mediation process and a Special Magistrate recommendation hearing, which could happen as early as 60 days from now. The Public Employer Relation Commission will propose a panel of seven officers to hear the case.
“With the legal status of the impasse, the union may present the district with some more feasible proposals prior to the hearings occurring that will be acceptable and avoid those hearings and allow an agreement to move forward,” he said. “It may be more feasible for the union to reach an agreement with us prior to going to that level of conflict resolution.”
Without an agreement, the fire chief explained the full process could stretch as far as a public hearing for resolution. He reemphasized indisputable financial stress, the continued property value decline and the cost of maintaining status quo within the district being a painful situation.
“We’ll continue to negotiate until the Special Magistrate recommendation, which involves an outside party familiar with public labor law. Either side can reject it. At that point, the fire commissioners become legislators and the majority can impose whatever they need to (during the public hearing),” said Becker. “If the union accepts the legislators decision, that becomes a Collective Bargaining Agreement for at least one year. If they reject it, they work without a contract for at least one year.”
Becker hopes both sides can come to an agreement before the costly proceedings, but knows rank-and-file firefighters, which represent the union, are cautious about their approach.
“There’s no softening this type of economic blow to us. Costs have to be cut. Personnel represents 79 to 80 percent of our budget. Competitively speaking, we want to maintain our service to our community, so it is a difficult challenge ahead.”
One positive lining is a new legislation for retirement, which lowers high risk employees from paying 23.25 percent rate on wages to 14.10 percent starting in July. Fire employees will be required to contribute three percent to their retirement now, said Becker.
Public wanted to attend budget workshops
FMB Fire Chief Mike Becker is urging all residents of the fire control district to attend the upcoming workshops to learn more about the budget process, which includes establishing Truth in Millage as well as tentative millage and final millage rates.
“We are going to break it down and try to clear up any confusion to get the public informed about our budget process, procedures and how it all works together,” he said.
The FMB Board of Fire Commissioners will be holding workshops the first Tuesday each month at Town Hall. This will be the first year the fire budget process will be televised and broadcasted on Comcast Channel 98. The process involves budget workshops on July 5 and August 2 before two hearings in September to set a tentative millage rate and a final millage rate.
“Get involved early. The economic environment is unprecedented. This, as well as future budgets, will shape our future,” said Becker. “I do not want the perception of having a closed budget process. We need to be as transparent as possible. The board needs to make a decision at the final budget hearing, so don’t wait until that day.”