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TOP JOBS

By MALENA OGLES
Staff Writer

BULLARD - Bullard City Council members questioned Monday if their volunteer fire department was "Triple Dipping" the taxpayers now that they are receiving money from the Smith County Emergency Services District No. 2.

Bullard Volunteer Fire Department, which previously operated on an annual budget of around $50,000 from the city, bake sales and grants, is now receiving more than $300,000 per year with the formation the ESD No. 2.

The taxing entity, ESD No. 2 was approved by Smith County voters in November 2006; it covers all of the county not covered by the Tyler and Lindale fire departments, as well as the city of Whitehouse.

In October, the board voted to set the tax rate at 8.5 cents per $100 in property valuation giving each of the 11 departments an average of $322,271 per year, nearly triple their current budget.

At Monday's Bullard City Council meeting, the council asked to receive a report from the fire chief on the status of ESD No. 2 funding, and to discuss whether the city will continue contributing funds to the Bullard Volunteer Fire Department.

"The question is, do we try to work with the volunteer fire department in funding, or do we look at that the citizens inside the city limits are being taxed (by ESD No. 2) for fire district 8.5 cents per $100 valuation," Larry Morgan, city manager said. "We have to ask, are we taxing our citizens twice? The money the city has sent the VFD is from taxes and the general fund."

Bullard Volunteer Fire Chief Keith Newburn told the council that the $1,100 his department was receiving from the city per month was not a contribution, but part of a contract they signed for fire service.

"We calculated this $1,100 per month into our annual operating budget. I had to submit a five and 10 year budget projection to the ESD No. 2 board prior to them accepting my budget. If it goes away it's going to be a shortfall and something I'll have to do with out," Newburn said.

Newburn presented the board with a copy of a fire protection agreement signed in September 2002 where the city agreed to pay the fire department $1,100 per month as an independent contractor.

"It sounds to me like we are triple dipping the people of Bullard," Rodger Johnson, Mayor Pro Tem said.

In August, 2007 the board voted to add a $1 charge on the residents' water bills to pay for the $1,100 the city was paying Bullard Volunteer Fire Department for fire safety. The water charge generated on average of $925 per month for the fire department, and the city paid the remaining $175.

"The city did that to help cover the money that was being paid to the fire departments. Our budget was so close and we couldn't do it," Johnson said.

Newburn said Bullard is not the only volunteer fire department in the county receiving money from the city's they serve.

He cited that Winona receives $50 per month and an addition $1 voluntary donation on the water bills, and The City of Troup pays their fire volunteer fire department $146,000 per year in addition the ESD No. 2 funding.

Before ESD No. 2 board members decided on a budget, they asked each of the 11 volunteer fire departments to submit their previous budged and ideal budget for the next 5 years.

"That's around $14,000 a year and I was counting on it," Newburn said.

In the back of the board room Newburn stacked a thermal imaging camera, bunker gear, a helmet and breathing apparatus.

"That's what it represents for me to equip one firefighter," he said pointing to the back of the room. "That's $18,000 sitting in the floor back there."

Council members did not argue the importance of funding volunteer fire departments, but said that they would need to look more closely at the fire department's budget to determine if they will continue to provide the $1,100.

"At this point in time we're still building," Newburn said explaining why they still need the money.

The board voted to table the item until the next council meeting and until they have enough time to review the fire department's budget.