Excerpts From
Prepared Remarks of
Chief Rudolph A. Cartier Jr.
Town of Candia Fire-Rescue Department
on the
2009 Proposed Town Budget
as submitted by the
Town of Candia Budget Committee

January 6, 2009

 

“... the 2009 budget proposed by the Budget Committee is inadequate to safely operate the Fire-Rescue Department, will continue a downward spiral in maintaining a safe working environment, will have a negative impact on our ability to provide emergency service to the citizens of Candia and adversely affect our ability to protect lives and property. I realize this is a strong statement to make, but it is not meant to be an alarmist reaction, but rather a statement of fact.”

 

The department budget as submitted and approved by the 5 members of the Board of Selectmen reflects a true reality in the cost for emergency services and represents a continuation of our developing very frugal budgets.

 

General Budgeting Information

 

·    During the period from 2002 through 2007, the average expenditure of the Department has been $102,994.77. Also during this period, the average Town allocation has been $93,641.47 with a net deficit of $16,079.67 in allocated funds. The Candia Volunteer Firefighters Association (CVFA) has donated an average of $16,079.67 to make up this deficit.

 

·    During the period from 2004 through 2006, the Department request was level funded at $99,500.00. During this same period, the (CVFA) contributed $7, 261.00 for additional equipment.

 

·    In 2007, our budget was increased by $785.00 (or 0.7%) to $100,285.00. However, due to over expenditures by other departments (primarily due to flooding events) $5,761.78 was reallocated by the Board of Selectmen to cover these overages. This reallocation put us almost $6000.00 behind when we started 2007. Once again, the CVFA contributed $7000.00 from fund raising activities to make up this deficiency.

 

·    In 2008, our budget was increased by $1,915.00 (or 1.9%) to $102,200.00. Once again however, we were forced to reallocate approximately $10,000.00 to cover over expenditures in other departments (primarily due to a severe ice storm). This will put us an additional $10,000.00 behind entering 2009 and is a total of almost $16,000.00 behind over two years. Also once again, the CVFA contributed $3,450.00 from fund raising activities to cover some of this reduction.

 

·    If we had been able to utilize all the funding allocated to the Department, the average increase over 5 years amounts to 0.5%, a remarkably reasonable increase in the face of ever increasing costs.

 

Effects of the Proposed Budget

 

·    The reduction of our requests Water Supply line item from $12,000.00 to $1.00 is the most striking example of how the proposed budget will result in an adverse effect on citizen safety and property protection. At the current time, we do not have an adequate water supply system in Candia for quickly and safely providing water for fire suppression operations. Indeed, over one half of our existing dry hydrants are out of service and cannot be used in the event of a fire. This is a serious issue. Based on a water supply study we performed in 2007 and recent estimates, we will need approximately $25 to 30,000.00 to bring the water supply system to a barely adequate level.

 

·    The reduction of our Building Maintenance line item from $10,000.00 to $5,000.00 will be very problematic for the sustainability of the current fire station. As the station is over 70 years old and it will be several more years before we replace the currently inadequate station, we need to continue our efforts over the last 10 years to do reasonable upkeep and maintenance.

 

·    The reduction of Truck Fuel from $6,000.00 to $4,300.00 will also be problematic. Although diesel fuel has come down, it is expected to go back up to the $3.00 or more per gallon range this year. For 2008, we spent a total of $5,500.00 (which was almost $1,800.00 over budget) and that was an average pricing for the 12 month period (including very low prices at the beginning of the year, a three month spike and a current lull in pricing). $6000.00 is a very realistic amount especially considering the ever increasing requests for service.

 

One final note is that if the Town reduces our operating budget and does not approve our Capital Reserve Fund Warrant Article, we will be out of compliance with our $225,000.00 FEMA FIRE Act Grant Agreement that we were awarded for the purchase of the new tanker. Article X (B) of the grant agreement states:

 

            "The grantee agrees to maintain their operating expenditures in the funded grant category at a level equal to or greater than the average of their operating expenditures in the two fiscal years preceding the fiscal year in which assistance is awarded.”

 

In 2008, this consisted of our Department budget ($102,200.00) plus the Capital Reserve ($75,000.00) for a total of $177,200.00. Not maintaining the proper amount can subject the Town to sanctions and will put future federal grant requests in jeopardy.