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Fire chief maps $131.5 million budget and multi‑station capital plan, asks board to approve phased equipment buys
Summary
Fire Chief Matt Kinley briefed commissioners on a $131.5 million proposed budget, station rebuilds and a plan to reduce near‑term apparatus costs via remounts; he also requested accelerating cardiac‑monitor replacement to achieve equipment and warranty savings.
Matt Kinley, chief of the Seminole County Fire Department, summarized the department's proposed $131.5 million budget and capital priorities for the coming years. "The total proposed budget request for the fire department is $131.5 million," he told commissioners, noting that 96% of that funding comes from fire ad valorem and fee revenues and that the department has 581 full‑time positions with no proposed changes.
Kinley outlined capital needs including replacement or rebuilding of older stations (Station 23 in Howey Branch, Station 24 in Winter Springs, Station 36 in Lake Mary and Station 42 in Geneva) and said design work and property acquisition are underway in some cases. He also detailed an apparatus strategy to limit one‑time expense by performing remounts on three of five rescues ordered this cycle, a measure expected to save at least $300,000 in the near term.
On medical equipment, Kinley asked the board to accelerate an already‑budgeted replacement of cardiac monitors. He argued a wholesale replacement now would standardize equipment across the fleet and produce approximately $400,000 in aggregate savings over two years through combined purchasing and warranty coverage.
Kinley said station, generator and apparatus needs are being sequenced across multiple fiscal years and flagged an upcoming union letter that could affect budgeting in negotiations. He closed by thanking staff and commissioners and noting that the department is reviewing funding partnerships where neighboring counties compensate Seminole County for services provided under mutual‑aid agreements.
Next steps: Chief Kinley said staff will present recommended modifications and any public‑hearing adjustments as required during the formal budget cycle.
