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Rural fire districts ask Hall County commissioners for modest tax increases as equipment and insurance costs spike
Summary
Representatives from multiple rural fire districts told the Hall County Board of Commissioners they need modest increases in this year’s tax asks to avoid depleting reserves, citing steep equipment and insurance price jumps and rising call volumes.
Representatives of several Hall County rural fire districts told the Board of Commissioners at a special budget meeting that rising equipment costs, insurance increases and growing call volumes are forcing modest tax-asking increases.
A county budget presenter said Grand Island Rural Fire requested a $20,000 increase to its general-fund tax asking and a $20,000 increase to its sinking fund to prevent further erosion of reserves after recent years in which expenditures outpaced revenue. The presenter noted equipment-replacement planning that began in 2017 has been upended by price inflation, giving the example that a grass rig once projected at about $80,000 is now quoted at about $248,000 and that tankers and pumpers have “also increasing just astronomically.”
Wood River’s request includes $66,004.13 for non-bond needs (an increase of about $2,142); the presenter told the board the district faces a constrained levy authority that limits how much it can raise without a special vote or bond measure, leaving the sinking fund insufficient to buy major vehicles. Shelton is asking for $38,000 for its general fund — an increase of roughly $12,000 — and cited insurance jumping from about $6,100 to about $9,900 and drained sinking funds.
Tyson Coble, who identified himself as the Donofin fire chief, asked for a $14,000 increase for his department and described rising call volumes: 223 calls in 2023 and a projected 238 this year if the current pace holds. Coble said the department purchased a used grass rig for roughly $80,000 to avoid a larger purchase and highlighted that personal protective equipment and bunker-gear costs have risen materially (a full set now runs about $4,500 versus under $3,000 five years ago). He also warned that proposed OSHA rule changes could impose recurring costs he estimated at roughly $30,000 a year if they are enacted.
Commissioners and presenters discussed options such as special votes or bonds to lift levy caps and whether charging for ambulance calls is feasible; presenters said those options are in early research stages and could raise liability and insurance costs. No formal action or votes were taken; commissioners said they will consider the outside-entity requests as part of the county’s overall budget process.
What’s next: The board will review all outside-entity requests as the county budget process continues; any change to a district’s submitted request must be filed with the clerk by August 1, per a clerk’s reminder at the meeting.
