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Committee tables action on proposed fire fee pending grant decision
Summary
The Finance and Human Resource Committee heard detailed testimony about staffing shortfalls and mutual-aid needs, discussed ordinance options and budget trade-offs, and voted to table the proposed annual fire fee until the SAFER grant status is resolved.
The Finance and Human Resource Committee on Sept. 22 heard extended discussion about a proposed annual fire fee intended to shore up funding for local fire services and SAFER staffing, then voted to delay action until a pending grant decision is known.
Why it matters: Committee members, staff and the fire chief described a mismatch between current staffing and the call volume the village faces. The chief said the department expects to call mutual aid roughly 150 times this year and described episodes when multiple calls arrived within a short span: “In 76 minutes, we had 4 ambulance calls, 1 motor vehicle crash, and a fire,” he said, arguing the pace makes reliance on volunteers impractical.
What happened: Staff told the committee attorney Eady is drafting an ordinance and will examine whether the village can limit annual fee increases or split costs between a fee and levy. The committee discussed alternatives raised in ordinances from other municipalities—per‑call billing, negligent‑party billing and other structures—and the limits imposed by state levy/deduction rules. One committee member said many residents who spoke at the trustee meeting opposed the fee but acknowledged the department is understaffed and the funding approach remains contentious.
Key numbers and timeline: Staff estimated a near‑term funding gap the fee would address (the packet referenced a $400,000 first‑year need and possible revenue roughly in the mid‑hundreds of thousands depending on rate structure) and said a draft ordinance could be ready for the Sept. 22 budget workshop for review (not necessarily final adoption).
The committee motioned to table further action until the SAFER grant’s status is known; the motion carried. The committee also asked the attorney to draft ordinance language exploring annual limits and how any levy reductions would be calculated.
What’s next: The committee will revisit the ordinance after the grant decision and expects staff to present draft ordinance language and options for caps or hybrid approaches. For now, no fee has been adopted by the committee.
