Hamlet-area officials are looking at adding a dedicated funding source for fire protection, but the high cost of implementing it may derail those plans. For months, the town council has been discussing the idea of forming a fire protection territory with Davis Township.
The territory would be able to bring in funding by raising property taxes. Council President Dave Kesvormas says that now, most big-ticket purchases like fire trucks fall back on the town. “Our budget’s not getting any bigger,” he said during last week’s council meeting. “In fact, it seems like it’s staying about the same, and things are costing more. Things are going to get a lot worse in the next couple years is what I predict, so I would rather stay ahead of the curve.”
He added that while taxes would go up, putting the fire department in a better financial position could lead to lower insurance costs for homeowners.
But the cost of getting the fire territory up and running could prove to be a barrier. A financial impact study alone could cost up to $25,000, under the proposal the town got from accounting firm Baker Tilly.
The town council last week agreed to send the quote to Davis Township officials, to let them weigh in on how to proceed. Council Member Brian Earnest didn’t think it was worth the cost of the study, if the township board plans to vote down the creation of the territory anyway.
