Residents, volunteers urge assembly to retain Bear Creek Fire mill rate; amendment to cut rate fails

Assemblymember Cindy Eklund introduced an amendment on June 3 to reduce the Bear Creek Fire Service Area mill rate from 3.25 to 3.00 mills for fiscal year 2026. The amendment was debated during the assembly’s consideration of the borough’s mill‑rate resolution and ultimately failed on a recorded tally of 6 no, 2 yes (yes: Eklund, Dunn).

Members of the Bear Creek volunteer force and service‑area board provided public comment before the assembly vote, telling the assembly the proposed reduction would harm training, equipment purchases and the department’s ability to reach parity with neighboring service areas. Testimony included multiple volunteers and elected service‑area board members who said the board had vetted the budget and voted to set the 3.25 mill rate after community input and conservative fiscal assumptions.

Assembly discussion Assembly members who opposed the amendment cited process concerns: multiple assembly members said advisory‑board review and a service‑area board recommendation should…