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New Castle County committee advances fire‑service funding changes and a permit‑fee bill
Summary
Committee members reviewed preliminary FY2027 figures for county fire services, discussed a proposed $200,000 boost for special operations, and heard that draft legislation raising the commercial permit cap to $10 million could yield roughly $1.04 million for the fire service fund.
The New Castle County Strategic Plan Committee on Sept. 28 reviewed preliminary budget figures for the county’s fire service and considered steps to raise permanent funding.
Committee staff reported a preliminary 2025 salary-and-benefits total for all 21 companies of about $37.8 million; the figure will be used as the base for calculating distribution shares if the county budget is approved. Committee members discussed an increase of $200,000 for special operations described by staff as provisional pending final county budget approval.
"The preliminary figure specifically that we got for ... for all 21 companies part‑time and career salary and benefits [is] 37,778,36260," a staff presenter said, summarizing the number the committee will use as its working total and noting it will be rounded to about $37.8 million for budgeting purposes.
Joe Day told the committee he drafted legislation to modify how the building‑permit fee is calculated and to broaden the fund’s name to the "Newcastle County Fire Service Fund." "I drafted legislation to change the building permit fee amount," he said, explaining he removed the word "volunteer" from the code references and raised the commercial cap so the fee would apply on the first $10 million instead of the first $1 million.
Day and staff estimated that, based on 2025 permit volumes, the cap change would increase the fund by roughly $1.04 million (staff described the estimate as based on 2025 figures and still subject to fiscal review). The draft has been forwarded to the office of law for review; staff said the legislation is going through finance and the executive office and that sponsors will be sought with a target to have the change in effect by February or, at the latest, by March.
Committee members also debated the formula for distributing any new funds. Dave Del Grande reiterated that leadership had discussed basing distribution percentages on salaries only — not benefits — because not all companies provide the same benefits, and that a final decision would require more analysis to avoid creating unfair allocations.
No formal county‑council vote occurred at the committee meeting; the legislation remains in drafting and legal review stages and will require council sponsorship and a public vote before any change takes effect.
