Intergovernmental Agreement Between The City Of Columbia, Illinois and The Columbia Rural Fire Protection District

I have some main points of interest I gathered from the actual document. What the voters really care about is the financial info regarding the situation. That can be best summed up here in an article by The Suburban Journal. I am reviewing two other documents I received from the city regarding the financial breakdown of the situation. I hope to have all of that completed soon and here for everyone to see for themselves. The Suburban Journal article is troubling for one reason.

However, in the city, Hutchinson said, the City Council is leaning toward eliminating the 6.1 cents of the property tax that goes toward fire protection. But he emphasized he can't speak for the council members. He said the council has not discussed lowering property taxes by 9 cents — the amount of the new tax.

I would have to think the council could pass a resolution stating that if this district is formed that the money currently levied by the city for fire protection will not be levied in the future. And by my saying not levied in the future I mean that amount would be reduced once the district is collecting their own levy and is self-sustaining. If that does not take place then the city residents will see no positive effects of this merger.

On to my main points from the signed Intergovernmental Agreement Between The City Of Columbia, Illinois and The Columbia Rural Fire Protection District. The full document can be read and viewed by clicking this link.

• The newly formed fire district board will be comprised of five members appointed by county commissioners, two of which will be from the “city” to start. At a further date the total number may be increased to seven and may move from being appointed positions to elected.

• City will continue to fund district with funds normally set aside for city to fund the fire department until the district begins to receive money from its tax levy in the second half of 2012.

• District will take control of fire department building as part of a $1/year lease.

• All city owned fire department vehicles and equipment will be sold to the district for $1.

• The 100ft platform truck will be transferred to the district’s legal possession at the conclusion of the district paying the current debt of that vehicle at an approximate rate of $70,800/year. This equipment will be used by the district while they are paying the debt. There will be a separate lease/purchase agreement regarding this equipment at a later date.

• Current employees of the city relating to the fire department will continue their employment with the district unless at a point in the future the district decides that releasing an employee is in the best interest of the district.

• The district will pay the city for dispatching fees ($6,229) under the current system already in place with an increase in that fee of 5% each year.

The plan itself seems relatively sound. Two groups that currently share equipment, personnel, and facilities will join into one entity and levy for their own funding independent of the city. Basically the plan puts fire protection into the hands of those who know what it takes and out of any influence/oversight from the city council and the mayor; to an extent the agreement puts the political burden on the county commissioners.