Thursday, March 28, 2024

Chelan Fire District 7 chief discusses 2021 budget

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CHELAN - Fire commissioners here discussed the desired budget for 2021 on Nov. 9 and Fire Chief Mark Donnell was kind enough to answer a few questions for Lake Chelan Mirror readers about that.
The Chelan Fire & Rescue budget meeting weighed and discussed priorities via a virtual Zoom format. The forward looking budget impacts millions of dollars and more than a few lives. Here is what Chief Donnell said, exclusively to the LCM.
“The major changes that were put in place this year were the development of the Apparatus and Capital replacement Schedules in addition to an extended budget forecasted into 2026.  The 2021 Proposed Budget includes the immediate and long-term capital needs identified for 2021-2030 and these numbers have been added into our operating budget to be completed in 2021 or money is banked until the project is due to be completed.  Basically, we are putting money into a savings account for capitals items we will need in the future,” Donnell said.
The future is, in part, based on the past, according to the Chief. A new M&O levy will be proposed to keep up lagging revenues and rising expenses.
“The 2021-2026 also identified the need to move forward with a Maintenance and Operations Renewal Levy in order for the district to maintain the level of service that we are currently providing for the community.  It has been 15 years since our last M&O Renewal Levy and Chelan Fire & Rescue has demonstrated prudent fiscal responsibility along with financial transparency in maintaining our ability to provide emergency service delivery to the community.  With expenses rising faster than our revenues, and with limited ability to obtain revenue from sources other than property tax assessments, it is clearly evident that we will need to put this forward for the community to choose.
The 2021 Proposed Budget will be approved at the next Board of Commissioners meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
The Chief was asked: How much did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the future budget - if at all?
“It’s hard to tell just how much impact the COVID pandemic will have because we only have history of working under the current situation for this year.  That being said, we have adjusted certain line items such as EMS supplies (PPE such as gloves, gowns, masks, disinfectant wipes, etc.) to hopefully accommodate the rising costs that we are experiencing with these items.  The hard one to account for will be in regards to staffing and when members are exposed or become sick.  We have also made adjustments in the delivery of training by using a blended learning model of online learning and hands-on practical skills sessions to maintain the certification levels of our members,” Donnell said.
Is the Zoom meeting approach working for the Department and are you able to gauge the online attendance? 
“We have become pretty adept in using Zoom as a meeting format and I believe that this will be used a lot more in the future.  We have always had a hard time getting the public to attend the Commissioner Meetings and our virtual meeting last night was no exception.  With the Board members and Staff included, we only had about 15 people at the meeting.  I believe that this is predicated more from public apathy rather than the meeting format,” he said. 
Chief Donnell doesn’t anticipate public in-person attendance until next year at the soonest. 
What is the major driver in the proposed budget? Apparatus? Personnel? 
“The major driver for our budget is always maintaining the level of service that we are currently providing.  We have become more strategic with our budgeting and forecasting models to include future personnel, apparatus, and capital expenses necessary to maintain this service.  As the fire service is called upon to do more for the community it is imperative that we realistically identify those needs and how when can best provide them with the resources entrusted to us by the community we serve,” concluded Donnell.
 
Managing Editor Gary Bégin can be reached at gary@ncwmedia.net. Comments received may be treated as Letters to the Editor.

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