Lack of fire funds discussed

By: 
Jason Ferguson

A recurring theme was revisited at the Dec. 11 meeting of the Custer County Commission when Fairburn Fire Department chief Klinton Rittberger came before the commission to discuss how inflation is hammering county departments in terms of keeping up with proper funding and equipment for those departments.
Rittberger referenced a recent meeting of the county’s Fire Advisory Board, saying the board is intent on helping out the departments in any way he can, saying districting is one way of alleviating financial stress. The county already has a pair of fire districts in Fairburn and Hermosa (Battle Creek), and the Custer Volunteer Fire Department most recently appeared to be heading toward forming a district before the plan fell apart.
Rittberger said while the county has recently given fire departments some unexpected funding through “windfall money” such as the $690,000 set aside a few years ago from surplus funds the county was required to spend down, the fire fund levy in the county of .204 is not keeping up with rising costs.
Rittberger said the $3,000 the departments will receive above budget requests will be the first such increase in six years. However, Rittberger then cited some statistics regarding increase in costs, such as a 36 percent increase in the cost of mechanical expenses, and a 30 percent increase in buying used vehicles.
“I want to bring attention to the fact we are going to have to rely on something more than windfalls the commission has been giving,” he said. “We are falling way behind the levy to support our department.”
Rittberger said at his department there might have been 20 calls per year a decade ago, but that number has risen to 49 within the district and another 17 outside the district, much of which is medical calls and car accidents. The aforementioned levy is only for fire, he pointed out.
“I’m only bringing attention to something you’re aware of, but this is something that is serious and coming into this next year we’re going to have to seek some better financial assistance to help these fire departments,” he said.
One department, he said, told the fire advisory board his department’s expenses are 70 percent above what its budget is for the county.
Rittberger said he would like to gather more solid data and then come back to the commission to show exactly where things are falling behind.
Of that initial $690,000, $90,000 was set aside for creation of a fire district, while $325,000 was given to the Custer Volunteer Fire Department. Another $250,000 is earmarked to help fund a new Argyle Volunteer Fire Department station, leaving around $25,000 of those funds.
Rittberger also said the fire advisory board would like to see $5,000 of the $90,000 in money that was allocated specifically for implementation of the currently-shuttered fire district plan to be put back into the hands of the fire advisory board for allocation to the departments, more specifically, some that did not receive a portion of the initial $690,000. Around $75,000 would be held back for emergency.
“We aren’t done with the district,” commission chairman Jim Lintz said. “Until we are, we shouldn’t disperse those funds.”
“That’s one of my concerns,” commissioner Craig Hindle said, saying he also wanted to leave money for a future district push.
Custer County State’s Attorney Tracy Kelley said some sort of some formal action would be needed to reallocate the earmarked money back to the Fire Advisory Board. Ultimately, around $30,000 would be available for the allocation if the $5,000 is reallocated.
“That would be fine,” Rittberger said. “It was given by the commission. We’re not going to start tipping chairs over if we don’t get any.”
The commission will investigate what is required for the reallocation of the funds.
In other news from the Dec. 11 meeting, the commission:
• Heard from Lea Anne McWhorter during public comment time. McWhorter told of the ad hoc committee that has been formed to lead the charge to get West Dam fixed and its pond refilled. McWhorter said the City of Custer has committed $1 million to the project, and a private donor has committed to matching up to $1 million private donations for the project, which is estimated to cost around $3 million to $3.5 million. McWhorter indicated the county would likely be formally asked to contribute in the near future.
McWhorter said the state legislature would also be approached to help with funding, as it has in the past expressed a desire to see what is going to happen with the project before guaranteeing money, although West Dam has been moved to the top of the state’s dam repair priority list as it is a high hazard dam.
“Now, some things are actually happening,” McWhorter said.
McWhorter said the fund for the project, the Custer Community Development Fund, could also be used to help with the Custer Community Center, city parks and the fire department.
• Heard from county highway superintendent Jess Doyle, who asked for and received approval for Lintz to sign a Bridge Improvement Grant resolution for funding for the long-awaited bridge repair near Buffalo Gap. The adjacent landowner is donating right of way for the project.
•Learned from Doyle two culvert crossings will be replaced on Lower French Creek in the near future, as the current culverts are “shot” and the wrong size. Two seven-foot tall, 70-foot long culverts will be installed in the crossings. The project qualifies for Rural Access Infrastructure funding through the state, at a cost of around $68,000. Doyle said the project needs to be done in the winter as the water is at its lowest and the traffic the least. The project will require some detours, and the highway department is attempting to notify all those who will be impacted. See related letter to the editor in this week’s Chronicle.
• Learned the required audit of the recent election revealed the hand count for the Amendment H vote exactly matched the tabulator, while there was a one-ballot discrepancy on the commission race.
• Discussion of the vacant 4-H advisory position, which has not been manned since Erin McGlumphy left almost a year ago. Local parents and volunteers have held the program together, said Michelle Zerfas, but an advisor is needed. There is a movement among some counties to cut the state out of the process and hire their own advisors, Zerfas said. The advisors are typically hired through the state as part of its South Dakota State University Extension program.

User login