By Carolyn Reid
Falmouth Mayor Sebastian Ernst appeared at the PC Fiscal Court meeting last Tuesday, February 28, to discuss the agreement the county has with the city regarding fire protection.
At the February 21 Falmouth council meeting, the mayor had said he wanted fiscal court and the council to discuss the percentages of funding for the fire department, and he wanted a committee of both entities to do so; however, Judge/Executive David Fields and Ernst state Fields invited Ernst to the court in order to give some details as to what he and council want to discuss.
Ernst started by saying he had sent the Falmouth Fire Department budgets from 2020-2022 to Fields who shared it via Dropbox with the magistrates. The current year did not have the end-of-year fiscal year expenses, only the half year.
“[The expenses have] gone up quite a bit in the past couple of years. We got fire trucks and a pay increase for per run for volunteers, as well.”
District 4 Magistrate Rick Mineer asked, “What’s your total debt on that--total debt on the fire trucks, everything you owe.”
Ernst replied he had not brought that, but he just brought our total yearly expenses, but he stated he could get it. Mineer asked if the city was carrying debt through the fire department, and Ernst replied the city had debt on the trucks amounting to $127,000 in principal. He clarified what he brought was the expenses for the fire department and where the runs were located over the past year, using information from both Fire Chief Dave Klaber and Dispatcher Angie Wright. Those totals were in percentages with approximately 74 percent of the runs being out in the county while approximately 26 percent were in Falmouth. Ernst went on to recognize the current agreement has the county paying $80,000 per year with an additional $20,000 for equipment.
Mineer said, “So that $20,000 is basically the truck payment,” and Fields clarified instead it was for additional new equipment. The city could come back and request the additional $20,000, something the city has not done since they requested the first $20,000 when the agreement was reached.
Fields said they were able to come back to request more, according to the agreement from a few years back, if more was needed for a certain project.
Ernst went on to explain that he was there because he feels things “need to be reevaluated” based on recent fire department expenses.
“Last year, the expenses were $264,758. With the increase to the firefighters, we are on par to spend $282,000.”
Mineer asked what current pay was, and Ernst replied the pay increased from $15 to $20 per run.
Mineer asked, “How many people show up for a particular fire run?”
Ernst said he had started discussions about that, and four or five go to the scene and others come to the firehouse and do not actually go on the run. They are to sign in if they show at the firehouse. He stated he brought that to the attention of the chief.
Mineer stated his concern. The agreement was rewritten in 2020, and before then, the county was paying for services rendered, per run—per truck, per man, fuel and everything.
“I’ll tell you my problem [with the city’s request for more funding based on percentages]. We have no say on the budget whatsoever. It’s your all’s department, don’t get me wrong, but you’re a subcontractor for us. We could sub it out to [other departments]. I have a problem with paying more and more of our money and none of this group has a say when it comes to setting a budget or fees or anything on that matter.
Ernst replied he understood, and he could not speak for what happened in the past, but he was for sitting down with the county to build the budget, and he was open to how that would look. He stated he believed they could cut back and get the same service from the fire department for less, and he would welcome the county’s input.
“But overall, I believe that we need to look at whatever the services are percentage-wise, the cost should reflect that because right now, you are paying approximately one-third of the total budget, and 74 percent of the runs are for the county.” He explained those runs cost more because of fuel, wear-and-tear, mileage, and other concerns.
Mineer countered, “That is why we went to a service-rendered type of budget, and it was Mark Hart who set the rate, and we saw it and went with it.
He spoke hypothetically, asking if the city would be willing to form a board to run the department. He acknowledged both governing bodies have to agree. He also suggested in the same manner the county could purchase the debt of the department and run it instead of the city.
Fields asked what an average run costs, and Ernst said you almost have to go by percentages. Fields stated he looked over the budget. “Let’s just say we worked in that agreement, you would still have the debt, the building expenses if we are in agreement, maybe not as much as employees, but you still have your debt and building expenses; all that would still be there. You would still have that if you are in an agreement or not. It’s your fire department. I would like to see outside of that what your additional cost is. I could see if your employee cost goes up and going out—that’s where I am not so sure it should be figured into the total budget because those are things you’re going to have in place, anyway.”
Fields was referring to the debt and the building expenses. “
“To keep it legal, we shouldn’t have to pay for the overhead.”
Ernst said that if they had the building, they would have the overhead.
“I just think we can get a better agreement,” he said. He said the city wants to make improvements, get rid of blighted property and things like that, and if they can’t rework the agreement, the city may not see the results they are looking for.
Mineer asked for the number of runs for the fire department, and Ernst responded there were two different numbers between dispatch and the fire department. The fire department had 360 runs while dispatch had 407. Ernst, after being questioned by Mineer, said the department was on track to spend about $280,000 by the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30, 2023.
Mineer said that amounts to $736 per run, and Fields said the county charges $500 per run, all allowable by law.
After more discussion, District 3 Magistrate Darrin Gregg mentioned the possibility of working with the school system to provide fuel for the department because they get fuel at a better rate.
District 1 Magistrate asked what the city would expect the county to pay, and Ernst answered they would spend approximately $208,000. With that number, Whaley stated the county could start its own for that and have better coverage for his district. In response to that, Mineer said the court needs to look at the future, the growth of the county and its response to that growth.
Fields informed Ernst before they closed the discussion that the city has $20,000 per year available from the county, and it has not been requested since the first year of the agreement, 2020.
Before starting the conversation about the fire department, Ernst also asked the county to waive the taxes on the yellow house on Shelby that was just razed. County Attorney Stacey Sanning responded that the county could not waive the $6,000 in principal owed to the county, but it could waive the fees and penalties. She did suggest speaking to County Clerk Rita Spencer. The city also spent approximately $12,000 for the razing costs and tree removal. After a brief discussion of in-kind services from the county to help the city in that, District 2 Magistrate Josh Plummer asked if a house was constructed in that area, could the owner insure the house if it followed the flood construction requirements.
Stephanie Green of Champions brought peer leaders from Sources of Strength, a group that addresses all sorts of teen health concerns. The young people, Brianna Louiso, Kendall Purvis, Hope Wissel, and Payton Mastin, all middle and high school ages, compiled and shared their research that shows support for a smoke-free ordinance.
Mineer asked how many businesses in the county allow smoking, and they named BB's, Wells, the bars, and Tim's Kitchen in Butler. The young people shared the findings of pollution in the air of buildings around the are, and they talked about the benefits of smoke-free laws that are now in place around the state.
The court also discussed preliminary budget reports for an engineering project that would require a $35,000 fee to advise the county in logistics. Fields explained a DLG grant could pay for the engineers, and the court voted in favor of allowing it.
The county clerk's office returned $96,804 to close out the budget. Auditors for 2023 could be hired for $18,000 rather than the $30,000 previously. and committees for the court were set and reviewed. They voted to acknowledge the payment of training incentive funds and to dismiss a county employee.
The court asked to advertise for the vacant position and one other in that department. Fields recommended they exchange the 10 foot snowplows they bought for nine-foot due to the road widths over much of the county.
The athletic park now has AltaFiber, and Joe Styer is setting up the wi-fi for the area. Plummer said Barth Johnson and Boo Singleton are making trail signs to remind hikers to take their garbage out of the trail area to dispose of it, and he asked if anyone had checked the now-graveled shoulders on Lenoxburg Road.
The court discussed the need for easements on Eagleview Road, with Sanning reminding the court 100 percent of the residents need to sign off on any easement activity before it can be done.
Mineer stated that Code Officer Steve Hill is close to getting a list of nuisance properties the way the court wants the report, and Gregg said Hogg Ridge Bridge needs to be reviewed. The bridge affects three of the four districts represented.
The next fiscal court meeting will be Tuesday, March 7, at 6 p.m.