White River Township Fire Protection District

Board Meeting Minutes

July 1, 2003

 

District Board Members Present:  Paul Kite, Butch Sutton, Jon Raker, Chuck Shufflebarger and Bill Patterson.

 

District Employees Present: Mike Tibbetts, Scott Cassin, Don Young, Joe Settles, Casey Arkins, and Kim Clawson

 

Corporation Members Present: Mike Hoffman and Mike Combs.

 

Others Present: Curt Coonrod, Brian Bosma, and Steve Dyson.

 

 

Meeting called to order at 1907 strictly for the purpose of reviewing the 2004 budget.

 

  1. June minutes were reviewed.  Motion by Bill and 2nd by Butch to approve as written.  All in favor and motion carries.

 

  1. Budget discussion.
    1. Curt announced that the tax anticipation warrant was closed on yesterday.
    2. Curt stated that he sees no reason not to advertise the 2004 budget high.  We still have the ability to bring it back down at the next meeting.
    3. Chief Cassin distributed a current financial status report (Attachment A).  The wages are under budget because we did not hire the three lieutenants and the receptionist as was originally planned and budgeted for at the beginning of the year.

1)      We just now received the invoice for the Fire Marshal’s vehicle, which should have been paid for last year.  Brian is sure that this vehicle is part of a fire loan

    1. Chief Cassin distributed the budget proposal for 2004 (Attachment B).  Many items were cut from the last proposal, with the exception of salary adjustments.  Page 37 shows the cut list.
    2. Curt distributed his cut list (Attachment C).
    3. Extensive discussion on funding comp, sick and vacation liabilities.
    4. Curt stated that his fiscal plan shows modified revenues as they were originally overestimated.  Steve Dyson stated that the 2004 budget salaries didn’t included costs for taxes, PERF, etc.

 

  1. Brian stated that he has reviewed several long term financial solutions for us.
    1. Growth appeal is no longer available.
    2. FPDB does not have the authority to exercise emergency loan authority.  Per state statute, that power is specifically vested in the township board. 
    3. Possibility of creating a “territory” is available if two units are willing to merge together.  They also now have a levy increase limit and Brian is not sure that the FPDB even qualifies as a “unit”.  There is also the possibility of “losing” the SR135 corridor should we ever redistrict.
    4. Enter into an interlocal agreement with the township trustee.  The trustee has emergency loan authority.  All EMS responses could be delegated to the trustee who has the potential to impose an EMS tax.
    5. We still need to make another push for the grown appeal.  Brian urged us to get strong public support and political support.  The first hearing is on or around September 25.  He will keep us posted.

 

  1. Curt stated that he would advertise the 2004 budget by tomorrow’s deadline.  This budget will show the $3.285 million that was requested last year, with an additional 3%.  Motion by Chuck and 2nd by Jon to advertise this budget for 2004 and to continue trying to receive the appeal of extension of governmental services.  All in favor and motion carries.

 

  1. Chuck asked Curt to compare tax rates of those agencies around us.

 

  1. No further new business.