Council Action Requested:
Approve the Resolution setting the Public Hearings regarding consolidating the existing Pleasant Valley and Indian Land Fire Protection Districts into a single, unified County Fire Protection District and amending the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget.
Points to Consider:
The County is seeking to restructure the organization of fire services by unifying the Pleasant Valley and Indian Land Fire Protection Districts into a single, unified fire service area, which shall be reconstituted as the "Indian Land Consolidated Fire Protection District."
This Resolution establishes that Public Hearing shall be held on both the consolidation and the budget amendment on August 14, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. The Public Hearings will be held in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of the County Administration Building at 101 North Main Street, Lancaster, SC 29720. The notice of Public Hearing shall be published once a week for three successive weeks in The Lancaster News and the first publication shall not be less than 16 days prior to the hearing date.
Funding and Liability Factors:
Pleasant Valley is presently operating with the $932,428 budget for FY 23 and Indian Land is operating with a $1,201,707 million budget for FY 23 for a combined budget of $2,134,135.
The merged district is proposing a $4,270,151 budget for FY24 to achieve their operating and staffing needs and pay at the higher proposed fire pay.
A budget of this amount will require a higher "rooftop" fee and adjustment to the ERU. County Council has previously discussed raising the rooftop fee to $150 and lowering the ERU to 1,000 square feet, which would generate $3,981,450 between the residential and commercial assessments at this amount.
Recommendation:
Approve the Resolution.