Bluff consultant urges town to consider special service district to sustain volunteer fire force

Dr. Gary Lichtenstein, a Bluff resident and longtime volunteer firefighter, told the Bluff Town Council on July 11 that the town can build a modern fire department but likely not as a traditional town-operated department.

Lichtenstein, who led a strategic planning process for the Bluff Volunteer Fire Department in 2023, said the department must change to meet rising calls tied to population, tourism and regulatory demands. He listed needs including 24/7 EMS/fire coverage, a four-person on-scene response goal, broader certifications for firefighters, specialized trucks (including a ladder), equipment inspections, and a paid administrative structure to support training, payroll and compliance.

Why it matters: Lichtenstein presented a preliminary first-year budget of roughly $225,000 and identified base non-personnel costs of $158,770.64. He contrasted those figures with the town's FY25 property tax receipts of about $249,003 and said that while a truth-in-taxation increase might raise up to $85,232, taxing alone would impose a large burden. Instead he recommended creating a special service district (SSD) or service district under Utah law that would allow the fire operation to be financially and administratively independent of the town while letting the creating entity set governance rules.

Lichtenstein described multiple revenue streams towns of Bluff's size use: fees charged per water meter, reimbursements for out-of-jurisdiction wildland responses, inspections, hazmat responses, and grants. Using a simple model, he said charging roughly $40 per water meter combined with a wildland-response program could produce revenue that exceeds projected startup expenses. He also said SSDs can be structured to limit town liability while establishing an administrative control board to oversee operations.

Council response and next steps: Council members asked clarifying questions; several said they were interested in exploring options. Lichtenstein asked whether the council wanted him to draft a resolution to create an SSD or service district for the Bluff Fire Department; the council did not take a formal vote at the meeting and did not adopt a resolution. Council members indicated they want a separate, longer session to dig into details and to include public outreach before any formal action.

What remains unclear: The town has not decided to pursue an SSD; no resolution was proposed or voted on at this session. Key estimates (first-year total and personnel costs) were presented as preliminary. Lichtenstein noted startup costs are highest in years one through three and projected a decline later but did not provide a binding multi-year funding plan.

Quotes: "The answer is yes," Lichtenstein said when asked whether Bluff could design a 21st-century fire department. He added, "I think we can" sustain it as an SSD or service district and asked the council whether he should work up a resolution to create such a district.

What’s next: Council members asked staff to schedule a dedicated follow-up workshop to continue the discussion and to solicit public input before any decision about creating an SSD or changing the department’s governance.