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Fire chief outlines FY2026–27 budget, warns of steep apparatus cost increases and rising call volumes
Summary
Hartland Deerfield Fire Authority Chief Adam Carroll presented the FY2026–2027 budget, citing a 100% spike in fire truck costs, delivery delays of more than two years, two new full‑time positions and increases in simultaneous calls from 12% to 22%. Board members asked for detailed healthcare cost breakdowns and discussed revenue allocation methodology.
Fire Chief Adam Carroll presented the Hartland Deerfield Fire Authority (HDFA) proposed FY2026–2027 budget to the Hartland Township Board on Jan. 13, highlighting personnel, insurance, utilities and equipment as the four primary cost drivers.
Chief Carroll told the board there has been a “drastic 100% increase in fire truck costs” and that vendors have quoted delivery times “over two years,” a dynamic the department said is inflating capital needs and delaying fleet turnover. He also reviewed run‑time hours and a three‑year rolling average used to allocate revenue between Hartland and Deerfield and said many incident types increased in 2025.
Chief Carroll pointed to workforce and service changes: the budget includes two new full‑time positions and an increase in wages and benefits, and the department recently upgraded its licensing from MFR/EMR to Basic EMT / Non‑Transport, noting the department had about 37 EMTs. He reported a notable increase in overlapping calls—simultaneous incidents rose from 12% in 2024 to 22% in 2025.
Trustee Lubeski asked about higher cell phone and special teams stipends; Chief Carroll said the cell phone stipend rise reflects the two new positions and that the special teams stipend encourages participation in countywide specialized response teams. Treasurer Horning asked for a breakdown of the health‑care cost increases tied to the two new shift supervisors; Chief Carroll agreed to provide that detail to the board.
Clerk Ciofu raised concerns with the revenue allocation formula, noting Deerfield’s allocated portion appeared to be only about $3,300 under the proposed approach. Board members discussed potential changes to split fixed costs more equitably and agreed a joint meeting with Deerfield and HDFA representatives may be warranted.
No formal vote on the HDFA budget was recorded at the meeting; the discussion concluded with direction to provide additional cost breakdowns and to explore the allocation formula.
