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Monroe Fire Protection District proposes $17.7 million general fund; plans use of reserves for capital
Summary
Chief Dustin Dillard and Lori Robinson presented a proposed $17,698,155 general fund for 2026, including a 5% COLA, staffing realignments after mergers, and use of cumulative and rainy-day funds to pay for apparatus and a Lake Monroe fireboat.
Monroe Fire Protection District Chief Dustin Dillard and Lori Robinson presented the fire district’s 2026 budget package to the County Council on Sept. 11, proposing a $17,698,155 general fund, a cumulative fund appropriation and a $1.7 million rainy-day capital request.
Key elements of the general fund proposal included a 5% cost-of-living adjustment that the district described as the second phase of salary alignment with the Bloomington Fire Department, adjustments to officer stipends, and the permanent elimination or temporary reduction of some chief-level positions because of vacancies following mergers. The district also postponed a planned phase-in of six additional firefighters pending grant decisions and state budget uncertainty.
Dillard described operational changes, reductions in some supply lines tied to fewer hires, and a recalibration of employer PERF (pension) contributions after state increases. He noted a large increase in workers’ compensation costs driven by the five-year rolling loss history after mergers expanded the staff from roughly 20 to about 110 employees.
On capital and cumulative funds, the district said it plans to pay off loans for Station 21 and two apparatus (Rescue 22 and Engine 22) using cumulative reserves, which the presenters said would save interest and free funds for future uses. In the rainy-day fund the district requested $1.7 million to buy two capital items: a new fire/EMS watercraft designed for Lake Monroe and a replacement fire engine. Dillard said the current boat is 25–30 years old and not optimized for lake operations.
Councilors asked about ambulance responses, PPE replacement cycles and overtime trends; Dillard and Robinson provided multi-year response counts for the ambulance program and described a plan to phase gear replacement every five years. Council advanced the fire district’s general, cumulative and rainy-day budgets without recorded opposition.
