2-06-2025 12:16am

Saline Fire Board Votes 5-3 to Apprrove increased Budget

The Saline Area Fire Board narrowly approved the proposed Saline Area Fire Department budget on a 5 - 3 vote.

After several meetings of the Risk Mitigation, Steering and Budget Committees, after several minutes of sometimes tense discussions and after a presentation by Chief Jason Sperle, the Saline Area Fire Board was not able to achieve a consensus on the budget, though approval simply allowed the representatives to take the proposed budget back to their boards for consideration and approval.

Chuck Lesch, representing the City of Saline, attempted to persuade the board to reconvene the budget committee to produce an alternative budget. Lesch stated the budget, as presented, would not pass Saline’s city council. When questioned, Lesch was not able to clearly articulate what alternatives he sought. Chief Sperle said all the committees developing the budget, which included members representing the City of Saline, settled on presenting the lowest-cost alternative.

In a presentation to open the meeting, Sperle said the recommendation included changing the funding model. In years past, costs were allocated to the jurisdictions based on percentages. The 2024-25 budget recommendation to the board transitioned from percentages to a taxable value-based funding model. This model would better enable the funding to align more accurately with increases in housing values and population growth within the fire district.

The 2024-25 budget included $2,896,111 for operations, an increase of $729,447 from last year. There was also a capital improvements budget of $351,662. Chief Sperle reported that the Capital Improvement funds would be allocated to update equipment required to meet safety standards for firefighters in accordance with the recommendations from the department's recent evaluation.

During the budget discussions, there were members wanting to extend the budget discussions further. The transition to the new funding model, with the expected increase in costs, could pose budget problems locally. This extension would allow the townships more time to figure out how to manage the increase in costs.

Board Chair Chuck Tellas, York Township Supervisor, tried to help the board better understand their reality.

“This board has had a history of kicking these funding issues down the road. For years, the board failed to recognize and adequately address the underfunding of the fire department,” he said. “At some point, the safety of our firefighters and our citizens must be addressed. We cannot kick this issue down the road any further. The time is now.”

Lodi Township Supervisor Janann Godek addressed the firefighters attending the meeting. “I don’t want anyone to think that Lodi Township does not appreciate and respect their work. That is not the case. Lodi has to figure out what services we might need to cut to fund firefighting services. We appreciate everything that they do.”

By a 5–3 vote, the fire board approved the proposed taxable value-based budget. The City of Saline's representatives were split. Chuck Lesch voted no and Laurie Champion voted yes. Both Lodi Township representatives, Jan Godek and Craig Swenson, voted no..

Each local jurisdiction will vote on the budget. Trustees from Lodi Township and the City of Saline said they were unsure whether the votes would be there to pass the budget. Each jurisdiction should vote on the budget within the next thirty days.