Fire district budgets available for review

May 29--One of the many coronavirus disruptions in Haywood was in the budget/election process for rural fire districts across the county.

Typically, fire districts hold annual meetings starting in early spring to present the budget for the coming year and hold elections for any open board positions.

This year, the county and state stay-at-home directives prevented meetings, so the budget hearings were rolled into the process for considering and approving the Haywood County budget.

Fire districts are autonomous in that they have their own bylaws, elect their own governing officials and then contract with the county to provide fire service in a defined area.

However, the taxing power of the county provides the funding for the districts and the commissioners approve the tax levy as part of the county's annual budget process.

Under state law, fire district leaders can request a tax of up to 10 cents for every $100 in property value on property within the district boundaries to generate funds that to support the districts.

In Haywood, the levies are as low as 5 cents/$100 in the Saunook fire district up to the full 10 cents/$100 in several districts, including Cruso and Lake Logan/Cecil.

Fire district budgets range from $150,000 to nearly $750,000, depending on the district size.

The fire district budgets can be found on the county website, and unsurprisingly, there are many similarities.

The budgets always include costs for training, supplies, communications and turnout gear, but major costs for all districts include utilities and insurance, as well as repair and maintenance.

Capital costs are generally paid for over a number of years as a new fire truck, for instance, costs roughly $350,000. Other capital costs fire districts incur are for building expansion or improvements, also something financed over time.

One difference between districts is the presence of paid staff. As volunteers are increasingly scarce, especially during the day when many of the trained volunteers are at work, a number of fire districts have moved toward paid staff.

Maggie Valley Fire and Rescue is the largest district in the county with a budget of $763,000 and a tax rate of 6 cents per $100 of property value. Roughly half the budget goes toward salaries and fringe benefits.

Likewise at the Center Pigeon fire district, which has the second largest budget among the districts. Last year, the district had six part- and full-time firefighters who staff the station to ensure district calls are answered in a timely fashion.

At the most recent middle-of-the-night hay shed fire in Bethel last week, it took just three minutes from the time the call arrived to when a truck was on the scene.

Roughly half of Center Pigeon's $454,000 budget goes toward wages and fringe benefits.

All budgets shown on the website were balanced with the exception of Lake Logan-Cecil, which had expected tax revenue of $145,000, but a proposed budget for the coming year of $169,000.

Additionally, Lake Logan/Cecil's budget document indicates that the 2019-20 budget was $138,660 but the district is projected to spend $262,000 by the June 30, 2020.

No revenue documents other than the tax rate are available on the county website and county officials could provide no insight on the discrepancy as of late Wednesday.

Fire district representatives were requested to attend this week's county budget meeting on Tuesday to answer any questions that might arise. There was no representative from the Lake Logan/Cecil district present, according to several commissioners.

At the public hearing, County Manager Bryant Morehead said none of the fire districts proposed any increase in its tax rate.

Public comment is available until Monday, when it is expected the commissioners will adopt the county budget at their regular meeting at 9 a.m.

To review the budget documents, visit the county website or inquire at the fire district station.

Most districts hold board elections in conjunction with the budget meeting, but since the budget meetings weren't held this year, each district must yet determine how and when the election process will occur.

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