The annual Cinnaminson Fire District budget vote is set for Saturday, February 18 at the township building from 2-9pm.
Due to renovations at the community center, the voting will be held in the large meeting room at the township building.
The Cinnaminson Fire Department is a combination department, made up of career and volunteer members that operates out of two stations on Cinnaminson Avenue and Taylor’s Lane.
There is a career staff on duty 24/7/365 at the station on Cinnaminson Avenue.
A volunteer crew staffs the Taylor’s Lane station daily from 7pm-6am.
“You don’t see many fires in Cinnaminson because we are able to respond to them quickly and hold the fire in place before it gets to the entire building,” Fire Chief William Kramer said.
The department also operates a Business Office and Fire Prevention office at the municipal building.
The fire district held the budget at a zero tax increase for six straight years before implementing an increase in 2015.
The budget will increase in 2017, with $3,014,200.00 to be raised by taxation and is required to be approved by the voters as defined by state law.
A proposal has been made to move the vote to the general elections in November, which is supported by the Cinnaminson Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners.
You can watch a video on the Fire District budget proposal below and see a pie chart of the budget here.
The proposed 2017 budget limits the increase in spending to 1%. The overall budget will increase by 3.7%, which equates to $17.50 per house assessed at $250,000 in the township, per year.
“This is due to the decrease in the amount of surplus the Board of Fire Commissioners has to apply towards the tax levy,” Kramer said.
Increases in the 2017 Fire District budget come in the form of insurance, fire hydrant rentals (which the department has to rent from New Jersey American Water), salaries and benefits.
Some of the decreases in the 2017 budget include volunteer staffing, utilities, apparatus and equipment.
“Respectfully, we ask for your support on February 18,” Kramer said.
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