Turkey Creek Boards OK Fire Budgets In Advance Of First Reading
By Ray Balogh
InkFreeNews
SYRACUSE — Turkey Creek fire and township advisory boards Thursday, Aug. 13, approved the fire department’s proposed 2021 budget for first reading in September. Second reading will occur at the Oct. 12, meeting.
One budget amendment was made at the meetings, which were rescheduled from Monday, Aug. 10, due to severe weather warnings: The $32,000 hazard pay line item was eliminated from the operations budget and $16,000 was added to full-time firefighter and EMT salaries.
Fire Board
Proposed 2021 full-time salaries reflect a 2% increase over this year’s amounts:
• Fire chief, $64,272
• Deputy chief, $57,096
• Battalion chief, $56,160
• Firefighter/EMS captain, $54.340
• Firefighter/paramedic, $52,104
• Firefighter/ EMT-A, $50,986
• Firefighter/EMT-B, $48,854
• Probationary firefighter, $44,421
The proposed operations budget totals $1,986,606; the equipment replacement budget, $151,000.
Fire Chief Mickey Scott presented his monthly report for July:
• The department responded to 22 fire calls and 123 EMS calls. Property fire damage in the territory was estimated at $2,200, with an estimated $62,900 in property saved from fire damage.
• The new fire truck ordered last year is expected to arrive “near the end of August or first of September,” according to Scott.
• Department personnel completed 533 hours of fire and EMS training in July.
• The annual pump testing for the department’s fire engines and aerial is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10.
Township Board
Township Trustee Julie Close presented her financial report for the months of June and July.
Poor relief disbursements in rent, utilities and food decreased significantly in July from June’s numbers:
• Rent, $1,200 in June, $200 in July
• Utilities, $2,290.83 in June, $1,300 in July
• Food, $696.15 in June, $572.39 in July
The trustee’s office also disbursed $600 in July for funeral expenses.
The meetings were followed by a closed-door executive session.
The fire board will next meet at 6:45 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, in Syracuse Town Hall. The township advisory board will meet at 7 p.m.