By Ken Steiger, Fire Chief, Ste. Genevieve Volunteer Fire Department
STE. GENEVIEVE – The Ste Genevieve Fire Department is asking the public we serve, to approve the formation of a Tax Supported Fire District in the area of the city and the rural area we cover with fire tag sales.
The idea of a fire district is not new to us, it has been discussed for our area off and on for the last 30 years. Every time we have gone to the city with a major expense it has been discussed, and the city has always been able to come up with the funds to get things done.
Early last year several of the county fire chiefs got together and discussed the future of the fire service in this county and the financial situations of the volunteer agencies. A decision was made to investigate the possibility of forming a countywide fire district. In doing our due diligence, we spoke with agencies that have a bearing on fire department operations and found that if the Ste Genevieve Fire Department was to join the county initiative, the city’s current ISO rating or Class 4 would be averaged out with some of the lower ratings in the county to Class 6. This set the stage for Ste Genevieve to investigate the possibility of forming a separate fire district.
People may ask what ISO Class 4 means; the answer is that is a rating that most insurance companies use as part of the criteria to set your homeowners insurance rates. ISO stands for Insurance Service Office which is an independent third-party organization that rates the capabilities of the local fire department, water supply (hydrants or hauled water) and dispatch capabilities.
We asked local insurance agents what Class 4 to Class 5 would do to homeowners’ insurance. We were informed it would be a potential 10% increase. We asked if we joined the county and moved to Class 6 and we were informed that would be a potential 17% increase. This led to the decision to attempt to create a separate district and the other county departments support or decision.
The fire department approached the city council with the cost estimates for some large upcoming expenses with estimates of costs and they thought the best options was for the department to explore and attempt the formation of the fire district. The attempt of the fire district has the support of the city counsel in the form of a resolution supporting the attempt.
You may ask why a fire district is needed.
The following is a summary of the challenges we face;
The first challenge is manpower. We currently have 24 on roster, while this number is ok for a small town, the ISO wants 18 firefighters on the scene of a house fire. They only credit 1 person for every 3 volunteers due to volunteers not being available all the time.
The second challenge we face is the call load. In 1990 the fire department ran 51 calls and in 2023 the department ran 274 calls. That is a 407% increase in call load due to the changing expectations of the community for the fire service. In 1990 we only ran fires, we now run multiple fire alarms, car wrecks, EMS assists, carbon monoxide alarms, smell of gas and a multitude of specialty rescues.
Another challenge is the aging fire department fleet. The NFPA (National Fire Protection Assn) set standards for age and use for equipment and trucks. NFPA says a fire truck should only be on the front line for 15 years and in reserve status for five years then be decommissioned. Our current first out truck is 19 years old and when that was down recently for repair the backup truck was 32 years old. If we follow the NFPA guidelines by 2026 we will only have three trucks that should be on the road, a 2022 Brush truck, a 2019 ladder truck and a 2008 rescue.
The estimated replacement cost for the first out pumper ia $1,300,000. In 2015 we were part of a countywide grant and bought new air packs at a cost of just under $300,000. NFPA says they need to be replaced at 15 years which would be 2030. We bought $300,000 worth in 2015 by 2030 that cost will probably be around $500,000. By 2030 we will need around $2,000,000 to replace two types of major equipment and that does not include misc. smaller items.
A big challenge is the funding of the department. The city has always been able to maintain the fire department but lacks the funds for major improvements. We have been fortunate in recent years with successful grants. In the last 10 years we have been able to purchase around $750,000 in equipment using grants written by the department. Without these grants, a lot of the improvements that have been made may not have been accomplished.
In 1990 the fire department budget was $47,000 and in 2023 our budget was about $200,000. That is a 300 percent increase in budget compared to a 407 percent increase in calls, so we are 100 percent behind in relation to the budget vs call load.
How much will this cost me?
By Missouri State Statute, when a fire district is approved it must have a tax rate of .30 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The tax will be on real estate and personal property. In the city, although it will be .30 cents, the city council has passed a resolution rolling back the city taxes in the amount of the current fire department budget.
How does that relate to the city residents?
The amount of the roll back from the city is .17 cents per $100 which means the city residents will only see an increase of .12 cents per $100. In our rural area where fire tags are sold for fire protection, tags will longer be required, the district will collect the tax, and everyone will pay for fire protection.
How does a district work?
There will be a voted three-member board of directors who have the ultimate control of the operation and finances of the newly formed district. The board member that receives the highest number of votes in the election will start with a 6-year term, the second high will get a 4-year term, and the least votes will get a 2-year term. After the initial terms the board members will have to run for re-election for a six-year term. They will set regular open to the public meetings where department business will be discussed, and the public can address the board.
There will be a fire chief that will oversee daily operations, budget, purchasing, training, and personnel. The board will set the tax rate annually but cannot exceed .30 cents per $100 without a vote of the public.
There will be an open to the public Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday April 2 at the Progress Sports Complex at 7 p.m. where a presentation will be made and questions can be asked.
You can also follow the Friends of Ste Genevieve Fire District Facebook page for information or send emails with any questions to friendsofsgfiredistrict@gmail.com