The 2018 budget is the fourth consecutive year with no increase for the fire district tax rate.
Evesham Fire District No. 1 is headed toward its fourth consecutive fire district election where voters will be asked to approve a budget with no tax increases.
This year’s budget will raise $7,176,605 in revenue through taxation, which is an increase from the $7,135,523 raised in last year’s budget.
However, according to the proposed 2018 budget, the township’s total ratable base was $5,243,137,378 as of Oct. 1, which was an increase of $29,988,000 from the previous year.
With that increase in ratables, the district is able to spend an addition $41,083 in this year’s budget without having an impact on the fire district tax rate.
The current fire district tax rate is set at 13.7 cents per every $100 of assessed property value for homeowners in the township.
Total appropriations for this year’s budget are set at $9,479,565.
This year there will be no bond referendum for residents to approve or reject.
Last year, voters approved a $1.275 million capital improvement authorization to begin the process of replacing a heavy-duty rescue truck for the district that was 22 years old at the time. The capital improvements voters approved last year also included funds to replace the district’s 30 aging Automatic External Defibrillators, which were 15 years old at the time.
This year’s budget includes $275,000 to be applied as a down payment toward the purchase of the new heavy-duty rescue truck and associated equipment, with the remaining $1 million to be funded through issuance of bonds or notes.
In addition to information about this year’s budget, the district has also released information concerning statics for Evesham Fire in 2017.
In 2017, the district responded to 1,735 fire calls and 5,166 emergency medical services calls, for an average of 18.9 calls per day — an 11 percent increase in call volume from the previous year.
In 2017, Evesham Fire also conducted 5,128 fire and construction inspections throughout the township.
Members of the department also underwent more than 11,600 hours of training.
The department also participated in numerous community outreach initiatives in 2017, including conducting two safety camps for kids, providing public education to every kindergarten through fifth-grade class in the township, and participating in the township’s annual Harvest Festival and Winterfest.
In addition to residents voting on the district’s 2018 budget, residents can also vote to fill two, three-year terms in the election for seats on the board of fire commissioners.
Incumbent commissioner Thomas Conkey is running for re-election, along with John Behnke and Michael Powers.
New Jersey’s annual fire district elections are scheduled for Feb. 17 from 2 to 9 p.m.
The Marlton Fire Station at 26 E. Main St. will serve as the polling place for general election districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31 and 32.
The Kings Grant Fire Station at 150 Merchants Way will serve as the polling place for general election districts 10, 15, 17, 19, 27 28 and 29.
The Kettle Run Fire Station at 498 Hopewell Road will serve as the polling place for general election districts 20 and 22.
