HOWELL – The Annual Fire District Election will be held on Feb. 17, 2018 where residents will have the chance to vote on any fire commissioners that are up for election as well as the 2018 budget for their fire district.
Howell Township is home to five fire districts including: Fire District #1 Squankum, Fire District #2 Adelphia, Fire District #3 Southard, Fire District #4 Ramtown, and Fire District #5 Freewood Acres.
Each district maintains its own budget and has its own Board of Fire Commissioners that act on three-year terms.
Fire District #1
The budget for Fire District #1 Squankum would be $1,197,254, with $150,000 allocated for capitol appropriations. The $150,000 capital purchases include $50,000 for a generator, $50,000 for a township radio system, and $50,000 for radios. Of that total budget amount, $1,046,754 would be raised by taxation.
The proposed 2018 budget would increase $168,223 from 2017. The 2017 budget was $1,029,031, with $1,024,931 raised by taxation.
The amount raised by taxation for 2018 would increase by $21,823 from 2017, increasing the tax rate from 27.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2017 to 28.9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2018.
Fire District #2
The budget for Fire District #2 Adelphia would be $1,389,700, with $110,000 allocated for capitol appropriations and $1,100,000 raised by taxation.
The proposed 2018 budget would decrease by $438,000 from 2017. The 2017 budget was $1,827,700, with the same amount of $1,100,000 raised by taxation. There was a need for more funds for capitol appropriations in 2017, as the district purchased new breathing apparatus.
Due to increased property valuations, the tax rate would actually decrease from 2017 to 2018, according to treasurer George Patten. The tax rate was 5.7 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2017, and would now be 5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for 2018.
Fire District #3
The budget for Fire District #3 Southard would be $1,951,181, with $265,000 allocated for capitol appropriations and $1,887,295 to be raised by taxation.
The proposed 2018 budget would decrease by $63,528 from 2017. The 2017 budget was $2,014,709, with $1,858,000 raised by taxation.
Due to a change in tax ratables during the year, the tax rate would increase from 8.8 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2017 to 9.2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2018.
The $265,000 allocated for capital appropriations in the total budget was broken down: $15,000 for turnout gear, $75,000 for radios, $100,000 for building improvements, $30,000 for meter replacement, and $45,000 for township tower upgrades.
Debt service for 2018 would be $195,361. The district would also utilize $63,528 of restricted funds towards the radio replacement program.
Fire District #4
The budget for Fire District #4 Ramtown would be $1,021,000, with no capitol appropriations and $843,651 to be raised by taxation.
The proposed 2018 budget would increase from the 2017 budget of $966,500, with $824,900 raised by taxation.
The tax rate would increase from 7.9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2017 to 8.2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2018.
There is no outstanding debt for the district for 2018.
Fire District #5
Attempts to obtain budget figures for Fire District #5 Freewood Acres were unsuccessful as of print time.
