Moorestown residents will not see a change in their fire district taxes after voters approved the Moorestown Fire District №1 budget during a Feb. 21 election. The department also held a second referendum question on purchasing a new command vehicle, which was approved as well.
For the unofficial election results, the budget was approved 69–25. The budget total appropriation was $2.27 million with a decrease of $5,795. The amount raised by taxation would be $2.11 million with an increase from 2014 of $38,005. However, taxes would still remain the same. The average assessed home of $445,300 will pay $298.35 in fire taxes, which is $0.067 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
According to Christopher M. Chesner, district administrator/public information officer/fire official for the Moorestown Fire Department District №1, the department has stayed below the 2 percent cap and has never exceeded it.
“We have to stay within the 2 percent cap from the prior year. We’ve stayed below the 2 percent cap, and since the cap has been in place we’ve never exceed it,” Chesner said.
Only one candidate ran for the one open seat available, and it was incumbent Carl A. Shelley. At the poles, he received 40 votes and through the mail-in ballots he received 49 votes for a total of 89 votes.
The second referendum question to release restricted funds not to exceed $37,000 or a new command vehicle passed with 77 votes in favor and 17 against.
“We will be purchasing a new command vehicle to replace an aging unit,” Chesner said.
There are no cuts to the department, however a paid employee is retiring after 26 years. He has been volunteering with the department for close to 45 years.
According to Chesner, these are unofficial as of now, but the county did call in this information to tell them. They will send the department a certification of the official results through the mail.
