By Jim Reece -  

The Ione City Council on Tuesday received an informational presentation on Measure M, the half-cent sales tax measure that would fund full-time firefighting brigades across Amador County. Ione City Manager Kim Kerr gave a Powerpoint presentation, noting that she and the city council cannot tell people how to vote on the measure but they can offer information. Kerr said that the city’s fire department had 35 actual firefighters who worked at full-time departments elsewhere in the region, along with 10 to 13 support staff. She said the need for full-time fire coverage was evident in the fire losses at two Ione residences recently, including the total loss of a home valued at 275,000 dollars, and another home burned with 50,000 in damage. She said the Ione fire brigade was a volunteer squad, with firefighters paid a small stipend on a per-fire ratio.

Kerr said Fire Chief Tim Mackey was paid one thousand dollars a month, fire captains received 400 dollars a month and others were paid 200 dollars a month. She said all firefighters were paid a lump sum at the end of the year, based on stipends per call. The total Ione Volunteer Fire Department’s annual budget was about 38,000 dollars in salary, Kerr said. That included Mackey’s 12,000 dollars. Vice Mayor Lee Ard, who represents Ione of the Amador Fire Protection Authority board, said Ione has one joint contract through AFPA. Ard said CAL FIRE rolls on every call in the county, under the “Amador Plan,” to support volunteers and paid volunteers. Kerr said the county pays 2.5 Millions Dollars annually for fire, noting “that is not enough to have fire coverage.” Kerr said supporters of the measure said that a general fund tax could not be earmarked for fire departments, but instead spread the funds across the general budget. She said a half-cent sales tax would be paid by all who spend money in the county, including those passing through. Kerr said if Measure M does not pass – with its required two-thirds majority – then Ione would have to look at how they can fund a paid fire department.