An increase in the fire fund rate is in the offing in the 2024 budget for Salisbury Township taxpayers.

Additional revenue is needed for the Swain Fire Station project and for set-aside funding to purchase fire engines, according to Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus.

Ziegenfus briefed the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners, township officials, the media and the public concerning fire funding needs in the ongoing 2024 township budget discussion, the latest during the Oct. 12 township meeting workshop.

The township fire fund for 2023 is .29 mills or $372,000 annually.

The township fire fund for 2024 is .49 mills or $628,000 annually.

It’s estimated the increase would be $4 per month for a taxpayer based on the average residential assessment.

The 2024 budget draft includes:

•$250,000 for Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company, of which $165,000 is for the $3.6 million Swain Station. Other portions of the Western stipend is $65,000 for operations and $20,000 in incentives, whereby volunteers receive money for answering fire calls, training and meetings.

•$60,000 for Eastern Salisbury Fire Department, $20,000 of which is for incentives.

•$180,000 to be set aside annually in the township capital fund for future purchases of fire engines. That‘s an increase from $120,000.

After the meeting, Ziegenfus told a reporter for The Press the township expects to spend $7.8 million from 2030-2045 on new fire trucks.

Township funding for Swain Station, expected to open no later than July 2024, is $165,000 in 2024 and $185,000 in 2025. No set amount, if any, is earmarked for 2026 and after.

Ziegenfus explained to a reporter for The Press concerning the proposed increase in funding: “What that does is gives us [the township] a few things for the money. We help pay for construction of the new fire station and we need to increase the capital fund from $120,000 to $180,000 for future fire truck replacements.”

Ziegenfus told commissioners funding for the township fire companies would be provided on an annual basis. Previously, funding was provided on a quarterly basis.

“I think it streamlines the process. It’s less work for the township and less work for the volunteers,” Western Salisbury Township Fire Chief Joshua Wells said, who attended the workshop.

Of the proposed fire fund budget, Salisbury Township Police Department Director of Fire Services Dustin Grow said to commissioners, “There’s not much to trim from the budget, that’s why you can’t cut it.”

“I don’t see where we can cut anything in the fire fund,” township Commissioner Alex Karol said.

2024 budget discussions at future workshops include the township public works department and the police department.

Upcoming meetings in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.: 7 p.m. Oct. 18: environmental advisory council; 7 p.m. Oct. 25, planning commission and 7 p.m. Oct. 26, board of commissioners.