Callery council approves 1.75-mill tax to fund fire department
CALLERY — Borough council members extended a financial lifeline to the borough’s volunteer fire company Monday, Oct. 5, in the form of a 1.75-mill fire tax which will take effect in 2027.
The fire tax proposal was brought forward by Councilwoman Rose Marie Wirtz as an alternative to the Callery Volunteer Fire Company’s request for a three-year service contract with the borough based on a per capita flat fee presented at last month’s meeting.
Under the terms of the proposed contract, the borough would have provided an annual financial contribution to the fire department in each of three years, with the amount rising from $6,457.50 in year one to $7,119 in year three.
Council voted to reject the contract proposal during Monday night’s meeting, estimating the fire tax would bring in more funding. At a millage rate of 1.75, the borough could bring in roughly $40.75 per household. With 175 households in Callery, that makes for about $7,131 per year — more than the fire department was asking for in any year of its proposed contract.
“We've not had a contract ever in the past, as I can recall, and I really don’t think this is an appropriate time to start that,” Wirtz said. “We are giving the fire company a little bit more than what we usually donate.”
At last month’s meeting, Councilman Randy Hoffman, who is also assistant chief of the fire department, said he would rather not fund the department through a fire tax if it could be helped. However, Monday night, Hoffman changed his tune and accepted the fire tax, saying the borough didn’t have any other option but to implement one.
“The borough does not have the money coming in to not provide a fire tax to provide that,” Hoffman said.
Due to a potential conflict of interest, Hoffman abstained from the votes for both the approval of the fire tax and the rejection of the three-year contract.
