By Carolyn Reid
The city portion of the budget, published in the May 23 edition of the Falmouth Outlook, shows a few zeros on services. The lack of funding on services such as planning and zoning, animal control, and others raised some concerns, as did the proposed termination of fire protection for the county; meanwhile, an item of “community development,” totaling over one-half million dollars and increases in funding such as community activities also raises some eyebrows.
Ernst discussed his plan with the Falmouth Outlook last Wednesday, May 24, to clarify understanding and to project some possibilities for the future if the budget he proposes goes through council.
County services:
Ernst emphasizes the taxing situation for the city as he looks to services such as animal control, planning and zoning, and code enforcement. He sees the city paying twice for the services the county receives. Since the city is part of the county, the city pays county taxes, so it pays for those services through the county. His question is why the city has to pay again for those services to its citizens. He proposes removing the payment for those services from the Falmouth budget for 2023-2024 since we are covered.
He also still questions the fact that the city paid the sheriff for coverage as the Falmouth police department was being rebuilt. While Joyce Carson said in the last meeting the agreement was council’s responsibility, he questions why the discussion even had to be breached considering the law states the sheriff patrols all roads in the county, including city roads. He also cited the fact Butler has help from the sheriff without extra payments. (Butler has one city police officer for its 600 plus residents.)
He also points out the city helps the county without charging, and the city police are called outside the city more than once a week to answer calls.
Fire department
The fire department, by data, makes 71 percent of its runs outside the city; therefore, Ernst says, the county should be paying more of its share. The first agreement came about before that discussion. That agreement included people who were not on the fire committee, Ernst says. The later agreement included lift assists and landing zones. Different people were available at that time to meet, he states, so that led to the difference in committees. He also says Councilperson Amy Hurst showed up at the first meeting on her own. She is not part of that committee, he says.
In a text, he explained, “For clarification, the Fire Department Committee has always been Luke, Joyce and Sabrina. It was Luke, Joyce and Dave originally. Amy has never been on that committee. She just happened to show up that day when I met with Fields and Mineer.
“The original $125,000 number the county keeps referencing was what it would cost the county to cover just fire runs. But once you include lift assists and landing zones into the equation, thats where the 71 percent comes from. They’re misleading people. The $42,000 of billable runs is misleading as well. That’s the amount they recoup from county residents through billing. So it’s really only costing the county $58,000 per year out of pocket.”
Judge/Executive David Fields did respond to Ernst’s numbers, also via text.
“All reports gathered are based off 2022.
“Billable fire runs into the county totaled $43,240 those were sent to the county.
“Total LZ and Lift assist totaled 104 for the county, which if they were billed to the county at 200 per run would total $20,800 and would total $64,040.
“The county guaranteed the city $80,000 regardless. If that amount would ever have been reached, the county would be paying per run at that point based on the amount in the agreement.
“The county was able to recoup $15,580 from billing.
“In addition to the $80,000, the county committed $20,000 toward new equipment whether it was for trucks or safety gear. The fire department has been utilizing those funds since that was put in place.”
As a hint of how Ernst’s fire plan will impact the city, he plans for the county’s payment of over $200,000 to cut the city’s fire expenses in half, leaving more for...
Community development
“I’m all about parks,” Ernst affirms. His theory about downtown development is, “If we don’t invest in downtown, who will?
“We have obligations to the people beyond fire, police, and upkeep of roads.” He turns to the revamped school center, the planned water feature, and updating the current parks as an example of what will draw people to the city; in turn, that will raise the tax base.
His “water park” idea is not like Williamstown or others some may think of. The idea, he says, is to have a feature that may be controlled. It could be turned off for events and day-to-day activities and turned on for the park itself. The area would be built up a little, making it a venue for other events, as well--like a staging area for events.
The rehabbed school center could house the police department, he says, and still also include space for things such as the senior center, youth events, and social events for all ages.
When attention was drawn to the $565,000 line item on the proposed budget that has no clear delineation, he clarified any project over $30,000 has to be bid out and approved with council’s input.
Infrastructure
ARPA monies will replace the fire hydrants, develop the splash pad, and rehab the school center. The costs are anticipated at $478,870, the amount in the ARPA funding.
The Clean Water Project money will be used to dredge the lagoon, and LGEA will be used in part to fund parks and streets. Road aid will also help with road materials and signage as well as sidewalks.
He also says the utility reserve is being built up, but at the expense of the regular account. That account is dropping $80,000 a year.
Meeting of the minds
Ernst insists the budget as it is, including the fire department planned arrangement, must go through to make his plan for the city successful. Falmouth’s council and fiscal court will meet May 31 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be broadcast via Facebook Live on the Falmouth Outlook Facebook page.