The Vance County Board of Commissioners adopted the upcoming fiscal year 23-24 budget Wednesday afternoon. The special called meeting led to a 6 to 1 vote to adopt the budget as presented by the county manager.
Immediately after the budget was approved, the board adopted a motion which freezes the four empty, full time Vance County Fire Department positions and stops funding of any new capital expenses. That motion carried 5 to 2.
After about 90 minutes of meeting time and some heated discussion, it’s clear that a fire study is coming. And unlike some meetings that see motions, seconds, discussion and votes on topics, several sequences were gone through like that. In the process, two motions and seconds were withdrawn and another voted down.
In the short term with the likelihood that the study will take up to 90 days to complete once started, some commissioners and citizens may draw the conclusion that a reasonable compromise was reached.
From the angle of the fire service, which has been closely discussed publicly and by the citizenry in the last 35 to 40 days, there is a general maintaining at this point of the status quo. With the budget in place, a freeze in place, and the study coming, the board, with a great deal of county staff help, has preserved its option to act on the study, including amending the budget.
After the meeting, Finance Director Katherine Bigelow said, “What is being approved is freezing the four vacant Vance County Fire Department positions and their capital expenses consisting of turnout gear and fire boots, for example,” as she went over some items with WIZS.
Interim County Manager Scott Elliott said, “At the July 10 meeting, staff will bring forth the proposed scope of the work to be conducted by the fire study and seek board approval and for execution of a contract,” as he spoke to WIZS.
The roughly $57.5 million budget calls for no increase in the property tax, holding at 89 cents per $100 valuation, as well as appropriating more than $1.8 million from the fund balance to plug a gap between expected expenses and expected revenues. The proposed budget is 4.5 percent more than the 2022-23 budget.
The budget does increase part time firefighter pay to $15 per hour from $14. The $16 amount was part of the public safety committee recommendation and that recommendation was not included in the budget.
The “reorganization” of the Vance County Fire Department is not occurring at this time.
Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright remains the Vance County Fire Marshall at this time.