Public hearing for MSBU increase set for August

County Commissioners have scheduled a public hearing for August the 4th to let the public speak up on plans to increase local MSBU assessments which help fund volunteer fire departments and medical rescue units. Firefighters are seeking an increase in the annual assessments to help cover the rising costs of operating a fire department. Volunteer fire departments are paying more for everything from fire trucks to equipment to training, yet the amount local property owners pay for fire service has remained the same for the past 7 years. Local fire departments are currently writing a lot of grants and holding a lot of fund raisers just to make ends meet. Homeowners currently pay 42 dollars per home; firefighters are seeking to increase that to 57 dollars. Firefighters are seeking similar increases for commercial establishments and hotels and are also seeking to establish a 30 dollar annual fee for vacant lots. And as firefighters point out, homeowners save much more in fire insurance than they pay out in MSBU by having fully functioning fire departments in their areas. County commissioners have already held one workshop on the issue and now they want the public to weigh in. They will hold a public hearing on the MSBU assessments during their regular meeting on August the 4th. Firefighters hope any changes to the MSBU will be approved at that time so the new assessments can take effect by the new budget year which begins in September.