Voters took to the polls Tuesday on the proposed new joint fire district.
YES: 113
NO:40
However, there are still 80 mail-in ballots that need to be counted.
We began this Fire District adventure a little over two years ago. We put in a lot of time, effort and research into making sure we made this transition the right way and the legal way. Since then, ten elected officials came together in an effort to make sure that fire protection receives the attention and the funding needed, to continue providing a service as efficiently and effectively as we know how. This change will increase funding for fire protection. It will also allow us to continue providing the service that you know now. Without an increase in funding we will not be able to update equipment when it fails or replace aged apparatus. We will still be here, but we will slowly start to lose the tools that make it possible for us to complete our jobs.
The resolutions that were passed by the Village and the Town were petitioned simply to get this in front of the voters. They wanted the community, the voters, YOU, to have a say in what happens with our fire protection. Both the Village Board and the Town Board voted in favor of this and we hope you do as well.
A Fire District will give the community the clear transparency that you require and deserve. It will be governed by five fire commissioners that are appointed initially and elected every year after. The proposed budget has four reserve funds that will need to be voted on and approved. Anytime money is moved from reserve funds to the general fund for spending, it is subject to a petition that would send it to vote. Anytime the Fire District would need to borrow money it would need to be voted on. Voting for the Fire District will give you more control and say in how your tax dollars are spent.
We put a lot of heads together when we sat down to create this budget. It is our belief that it is solid and that it would be many years before we see any sort of increase. A budget that is set for success!!!
A formal budgeting process with an equipment replacement plan is something that has never happened here before with the fire department. We believe that planning for the future and budget maintenance will prevent the need for such a substantial increase in the future.
Thank You,
Your Friends at The Belmont Fire Company
