Amador County – Amador Fire Protection District board of directors on Tuesday approved a preliminary budget totaling $2.9 million for the coming fiscal year.
The budget included $1.4 million dollars in salaries and benefits and $809,000 in services and supplies. AFPD Chief Jim McCart presented the budget excluding funds for the Amador Plan, saying County Administrative Officer Chuck Iley had no direction yet on the contract with Cal-Fire.
McCart said last year’s amount is known and he plugged in $250,000 into the preliminary budget. He said Iley was not sure of the board’s direction at this time and asked to put in the final number at a final budget hearing, which the board set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11.
Supervisor Vice Chairman Richard Forster said the reason is the county is waiting on the state budget which has language for basic aid repairs and renewed funding for Amador County. The budget is awaiting the governor’s signature. Supervisor Louis Boitano said legislators haven’t figured out how take care of $250 million.
McCart said the Measure M and Prop 172 fund balance was at $180,000. Measure M revenue totaled $2 million and the AFPD’s share was $879,000. Budget revenue included contract service with Sutter Creek of $200,000 and Plymouth for $32,000, part of $1.3 million dollars in total additional funding revenue.
Plasse said the budget reserves and fund balance are not in sync and the budget consumes a considerable portion of the fund balance. McCart said reserves cancel that out. He said: “We had $1.6 million in reserves last year,” untouched, “so we’ll pull into this year with the same reserves.”
McCart said salaries and benefits were for 15 paid positions, including five fire fighters, nine engineers and one chief. One position was vacated and they don’t plan to fill it. They have five days a week staffing, 45 hours a week in Sutter Creek (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Mace Meadow station will have one engineer who will be by himself on one of three undetermined shifts.
Plasse asked about $715,000 for fixed assets, for two engines and a vehicle. McCart said he would surplus a 1984 Freightliner. They purchased three new in 1992 and they are going past the 20-year age, but do not have a lot of miles on them.
McCart said the jurisdiction does not have great flow for structure fires, and it helps AFPD maintain the ISO rating when they can transport water to structure fire locations and maintain 250 gallons a minute flows.
He said newer tankers are quicker but hold less water. Current water tenders pump 100 gallons a minute, but he said they can get new ones that pump 1,000 gallons a minute and act as a fire engine.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
