Post by admin on Jun 14, 2010 7:47:44 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2010-06-09/Breaking_News/Freehold_Borough_fire_department_funding_will_get_.html
Department reps are examining possibility of creating a fire district
By Clare Marie Celano
FREEHOLD — Freehold Fire Department officials are looking for a new way of managing the operation of the department because they say the old way is simply not working anymore.
At the present time the fire department is funded through the municipal budget that is approved every year by the Borough Council.
Fire department officials are examining funding options that could include the formation of a fire district in Freehold Borough.
If that was to happen the fire department would no longer be funded in the Freehold Borough municipal budget. Instead, every property owner would pay a fire district tax and the total amount of fire district taxes would support the operation of the fire department.
Michael Burtt, a former chief of the Freehold Fire Department, said the department must find additional funds to operate the century old department that has 105 volunteer firefighters on its roster.
Burtt said a committee has been formed to explore different ways of operating the fire department that might make things work better.
“The committee will explore the possibility of creating a fire district and it is also researching other ways of supporting the fire department,” Burtt said.
Freehold Township, Manalapan, Marlboro, Howell and Englishtown are area municipalities that have fire districts.
The Freehold Fire Department’s budget in 2010 is $470,000.
For more on this story, see the June 16 issue of the News Transcript
Department reps are examining possibility of creating a fire district
By Clare Marie Celano
FREEHOLD — Freehold Fire Department officials are looking for a new way of managing the operation of the department because they say the old way is simply not working anymore.
At the present time the fire department is funded through the municipal budget that is approved every year by the Borough Council.
Fire department officials are examining funding options that could include the formation of a fire district in Freehold Borough.
If that was to happen the fire department would no longer be funded in the Freehold Borough municipal budget. Instead, every property owner would pay a fire district tax and the total amount of fire district taxes would support the operation of the fire department.
Michael Burtt, a former chief of the Freehold Fire Department, said the department must find additional funds to operate the century old department that has 105 volunteer firefighters on its roster.
Burtt said a committee has been formed to explore different ways of operating the fire department that might make things work better.
“The committee will explore the possibility of creating a fire district and it is also researching other ways of supporting the fire department,” Burtt said.
Freehold Township, Manalapan, Marlboro, Howell and Englishtown are area municipalities that have fire districts.
The Freehold Fire Department’s budget in 2010 is $470,000.
For more on this story, see the June 16 issue of the News Transcript