Contribute news or contact us by sending an email to: RCTonline@gmail.com

Saturday, April 6, 2019

Garden City Fire District Needs Tax Increase


RANDOLPH, Utah. April 3, 2019.  Garden City is going to use a software package which will allow short term rental unit owners to self check for fire code violations after an initial fire check.  Last year there were over 400 fire checks.  The fee has been $40.  Because of the use of this software, the Garden City Fire District will lose $16,000 in revenue. 
 
Fire Board Members Randall Knight, Doug Pincock, and Mike Wahlberg, Fire Chief met to update County Commissioners.  They said that they had met with state legislature to see if impact fees could be used to buy a truck.  But were told that would not be possible even though the homes and buildings being built are larger and taller than the district trucks can manage.

So the Fire District needs to raise money for building the new addition and the replacement of  upgraded vehicles because larger buildings are being built in Garden City.  They are going to ask for a property tax  Increase of $12 for a $200,000 house per year.  The last tax hike was in 2008 with an increase of $20 for a $200,000. 

Knight said. “If we get much larger, we may have to hire some more full time people especially in the summer.” 
 
The current fire district budget is $201,000.  They need an additional pumper truck and a replacement ladder truck.  Bigger homes that people are building mean there more people needed to fight a fire and there are currently not enough vehicles to get them to the fire or to fight it.
  
A bond was discussed, but the tax increase would be more flexible. 

The district spent $80,000 for a boat  for boat rescue and would now like to find a revenue source for that.  A person who has boat owner usually has insurance.  Knight asked if the district could charge for water rescue  as the ambulance does for runs to the hospital.  The boat is used more for rescue than the fire trucks in summertime.   He said he was going to also ask Utah State Parks for money.

3 comments:

The Old Man said...

I still don't understand why the GCFD bought a old boat, had to buy new motors it power it and now wants to use it asa rescue vessel..That is the responsibly of Utah Parks and Recreation based out of the Bear Lake State Park Marina. It then falls to Search and Rescue. There is also back up from the u.s. Coast Guard and Idaho State Parks. Duplication of efforts?

Mike Wahlberg said...

You're very misinformed. The boat exists first for fire suppression for the millions of dollars worth of boats in the marina and the old boat didn't allow us to safely fight fires and control hazmat due to several reasons. We decided to make the boat multi purpose since we were replacing it anyway and as a result we have saved many documented lives, so it has been an obvious benefit to the residents and visitors. The department is NOT seeking any money for any part of the boat or to recuperate its expense. Search and rescue has no boat or capability to rescue people on the lake and the other agencies get overwhelmed and have additional areas of responsibility and priority, so we are another layer of protection that is badly needed.

Chief Mike Wahlberg
Garden City Fire District

Mike Wahlberg said...

Let it also be understood that the district WIL NOT charge for boat fires or water rescues and also WILL NOT nor EVER WILL ask state parks for money. State parks generously allows us to keep the boat in the marina at no charge (1,200 value). We will only ever charge for successfully convictions of arson and commercial hazmat spills.

Mike