Hernando: Fire chief finds figures don't jibe

Fire chief finds figures don't jibe

By JENNIFER FARRELL

SPRING HILL -- When county commissioners suggested Tuesday that the Spring Hill Fire and Rescue District tighten its belt, Chief Michael Morgan went straight for his calculator.

Confident he could justify everything in the proposed $6.5-million spending plan for next year, he started by looking at how much the budget has increased over the past few years, compared with what has been raised in taxes.

But in comparing a series of figures supplied by the county with those compiled by the fire district, Morgan quickly noticed discrepancies.

For starters, the county lists the 1999-2000 fire district budget at slightly more than $6.5-million, while the district places the figure at a little more than $6.2-million.

Also, the county shows the fire district is budgeted to raise about $4.5-million in property taxes in 1999-2000, while the district lists the figure at closer to $4.3-million.

And that's just the beginning, said Morgan, who also disputed county figures showing the fire district budget had increased an overall $1.4-million between 1994 and 2000.

Morgan placed the increase at closer to $1.1-million.

"The numbers do not match with ones that we have," he said. "The way they've shown it, it shows a much larger increase than what there actually has been."

Morgan has requested a meeting with County Administrator Paul McIntosh to iron out the differences before tonight's fire commission meeting

"It's a different method of budgeting," Morgan said. "We have not had a million-and-a-half-dollar increase in the last five years. It hasn't happened."

Fire commissioners, meanwhile, seemed resistant to make wholesale changes in the proposed 2000-2001 spending plan, set for discussion at a 6:30 p.m. workshop at 3445 Bob Hartung Court. A final vote will follow during a 7 p.m. fire commission meeting.

"Our budget is a very tight budget," Fire Commission Chairman Gene Panozzo said. "We have a quality department with equipment, man power and the service that we provide, and I don't see cutting any of it."

Fire Commissioner Bob Kanner, likewise, defended the proposed budget and cautioned that any move to cut the tax rate should be examined carefully. Citing increased call volume and rising fuel costs, he said fire district expenses sometimes outpace growth.

"A lot of numbers have to be looked at," he said. "Just because there's more people coming in, doesn't mean there's more revenue."

Morgan said the fire district's capital spending had been cut by 31 percent over the past five years -- in part, to keep pace with a 20 percent increase in personnel costs Commissioners are considering adding a full-time training officer next year for an annual salary of $42,000 plus benefits. Last week, the Fire Commission agreed on the following capital projects for next year:

$14,500 to finish the interior of the new fleet maintenance building and install a concrete pad at the rear of the building.

$14,500 to install a generator in Station 3.

$4,800 to install decontamination areas in Stations 3 and 4.

$4,000 to install lockers to hold and protect firefighting gear.

$3,500 to finish the driveway outside Station 4.

$3,500 to upgrade the dispatch system's computer server.

Under the proposed budget, the owner of a $100,000 home with a $25,000 homestead exemption would pay $206.25 in fire district taxes, assuming that property values remain the same. This does not include county, school or other taxes.