Van Buren officials discuss benefits of joining fire district

Jul. 31--Van Buren Township property owners' taxes are projected to increase by less than half a percent in the first year the township joins the fire protection district.

That's an increase of $1 for a residential homestead valued at $100,000, according to Paige Sansone, a representative with advisory firm Baker and Tilly.

On Tuesday, Sansone said projections show that if Van Buren Township joins the Monroe Fire Protection District, along with the unincorporated area of Bloomington Township, residents' property taxes would increase 0.3% in year one.

Both Bloomington and Van Buren townships are aiming to join the fire protection district starting Jan. 1, 2021. To do so, township officials have to secure the Monroe County commissioners' approval.

Van Buren Township Trustee Rita Barrow said if 50 Van Buren Township property owners are against joining the district, they can remonstrate. The commissioners will host a public meeting to hear their objections before making a decision. She said residents have 30 days to remonstrate starting on Friday.

Commissioner Julie Thomas said residents currently served by the district can also remonstrate if they disagree with allowing Van Buren to join.

While there is time for residents to remonstrate, officials and some members of the public on Tuesday expressed support for joining the district.

"We see nothing but good coming out of this," Barrow said.

Beyond the first year, Sansone said, property owners will pay slightly more due to a projected increase of the district's budget to hire more firefighters.

Monroe Fire Protection District Chief Dustin Dillard said officials plan to add two firefighters at the fire station along Kirby Road, which would increase staffing levels to five firefighters on duty 24/7.

He also said the district plans to add one firefighter at the Stanford station, which would increase the number of staff to three firefighters on duty daily.

Dillard said increasing the personnel would benefit residents, as it would allow the Van Buren stations to respond to multiple calls without calling for assistance from another township fire department, which can slow down response times. It also would correct current deficiencies in the first line response, he said.

Officials also project that Van Buren joining the district could impact how much people pay for homeowners' insurance.

Dillard said property owners who have homeowners insurance that considers a fire station's Insurance Services Office ratings to set rates may see changes. He said ISO ratings typically become a factor for individuals who live within five miles of a fire station; within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant; or in an area where a fire department has proven it's capable of shuttling large quantities of water to a scene.

Dillard said once Van Buren joins, the district's rating -- which is better -- would be applied to the stations in the township, potentially to the benefit of homeowners.

Dillard said property owners already a part of the district, which includes Perry, Clear Creek and Indian Creek residents, will also benefit, as the added tax base would allow them to keep recently added personnel.

Thanks to a grant the district received last year, Dillard said, staffing was increased to better serve the district after Indian Creek joined. That grant expires in three years.

Dillard said better staffed Van Buren fire stations could also benefit other townships because in some instances, those stations are closer. For example, the Stanford station already serves a lot of northwest Indian Creek residents. With Van Buren joining the district, he said, jurisdictional boundaries would be erased and they can make changes to improve response times in those areas.

Sansone said property tax rates for residents in Perry, Clear Creek and Indian Creek townships are projected to increase about 6% in year one. That's an increase of $27 for a residential homestead valued at $100,000.

Property owners living in the unincorporated areas of Bloomington Township would actually see a decrease that first year of about 6.9%. That's $36 for a residential homestead valued at $100,000. Bloomington Township officials plan to host public meetings on the impacts of joining the district next week.

Annexation protection

Barrow said joining the fire protection district also means that the township would receive some protections from future annexation attempts from the city of Bloomington.

A law that went into effect in July states property owners who live within the geographical jurisdiction of an existing fire protection district established before July 1, 1987, which applies to the Monroe Fire Protection District, will continue to pay for and receive fire and emergency services from the district even if they are annexed by a city. In addition, it states that any new territory added to the district shall be treated as if it were a part of the district when it was originally established.

Barrow said during the city's 2017 attempt to annex 9,500 acres all at once, Van Buren stood to lose approximately 60% of its tax revenue for fire. She added this meant that the township would have to close a station, cut staff at the remaining one and increase taxes on those not annexed to provide fire protection services.

While state law does not restrict cities from annexing but acknowledged that it might dissuade Bloomington officials because the township will no longer be "as attractive as what we were," Barrow said.

"I'm not against annexation, but I am against a takeover," Barrow said.

Contact Ernest Rollins at 812-331-4357, [email protected] or @fromernestdesk.

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