Fire chief, council discuss volunteer roster, insurance and budget constraints

Burns Harbor’s fire department and town council spent a substantial portion of the meeting reviewing the department’s proposed 2026 budget, volunteer roster levels and related costs, including insurance and training expenses. Fire leadership said the department currently has about 30 active roster members and that maintaining training, equipment, physicals and certification obligations drives budget uncertainty. Council and staff discussed a suggested roster cap (options discussed included 32–38) to make budgeting for physicals, uniform allowances and reimbursement payments more predictable. Insurance and staffing: staff provided revised property/casualty projections from the town’s broker; several council members noted insurance lines for departments had been under-budgeted in prior cycles and discussed the option of paying annual premiums early to align budgets and avoid mid-year budget surprises. The council also discussed the town in-corp contract increase (from about $62,750 to $66,000) and how that affects per-firefighter reimbursement estimates. Volunteer recruitment and cadet program options: the chief and council discussed outreach to regional high-school career centers and cadet programs as a recruitment pipeline; the chief reported hosting two high-school cadets recently for training exposure. The council asked staff to identify whether an explicit roster cap exists in contract documents and to propose a clear number for budgeting. Why it matters: the discussions affect salary/reimbursement forecasts, insurance budgeting, and the town’s ability to sustain volunteer and paid staffing levels crucial for emergency response. Next steps: staff will confirm contractual caps or historical practice and return with recommended roster limits and precise insurance cost figures; council reiterated the need to align expected reimbursements and encumbrances with budget submittals to the state.