A proposed ordinance calling for a levy of a 3/8 percent sales and use tax for public safety purposes was approved Thursday night during the regular session of the Mountain Home City Council. The suggested increase will be in the hands of voters in a special election scheduled for September 12th. If approved, the Mountain Home Fire and Police Departments would benefit from the tax. Details regarding locations and numbers of precincts will be determined at a later date after City Officials meet with the Baxter County Election Commission.
With Alderman Carl Graves absent, the Council voted six to one to move the ordinance into an emergency clause. If an ordinance is passed with a valid emergency clause, it will take effect immediately. Without the adoption of the emergency clause, municipal ordinances generally become effective 30 to 90 days after their passage. Alderman Rick Pierce voted against the emergency designation.
The ordinance was presented by the Mountain Home Professional Fire Fighters Association local president Travis Dover and vice president Michael Glotzl. Dover says if approved by voters, approximately $1.7 million could be generated annually. The funds would help cover necessary expenditures and capital improvements the City’s general fund has historically not been able to afford.
According to Dover, there is a safety issue when it comes to inadequate staffing throughout the city and within fire districts. He says a lack of staff makes it difficult to meet protocols, ultimately jeopardizing the lives of those on duty.
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Dover says Mountain Home has been at the same staffing level for approximately 10 years, which he contends isn’t keeping up with the population growth.
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Mountain Home Fire Chief Ken Williams says his Department has a long list of needs. The main station was occupied circa 1975 by city hall, courts, the fire department and the police department. Currently there is no training room or staff meeting room and office space is needed. They also need additional storage areas for extra hose, supplies, equipment and records keeping.Williams says the fire bay is cramped. The current design holds five pieces of apparatus and because they house in-town and out-of-town equipment for the area eight apparatuses take up the space.He would like to see a station placement study done to determine future station locations as the city grows, to maintain proper coverage and not have an adverse effect on their ISO rating.Future stations would also require staffing. Currently there are two shifts with eight personnel. One shift still remains with seven personnel. The department needs one additional person to bring that shift to eight. Additionally, three more personnel are needed to have a nine per shift ratio to meet industry minimum, based on the National Fire Protection Association standards, of a five man engine out of station 1 and a four man engine out of station two.
Some of the engines need replacing as well. Engines are typically ran on a 15 to 20 year cycle. Out of eight engines and tankers four are well over that mark.
Mountain Home Police Chief Carry Manual says some of the top needs for the Mountain Home Police Department are animal control funding issues, equipment, vehicles, and code enforcement. He says he would prioritize the needs as funds become available.
In other council news the Council unanimously approved the transfer of $11,500 from carryover to the operating line items of the City pool. The move means the City Pool will be open through its traditional time. This year the pool was scheduled to shut down August first due to budgeting constraints. The Pool will now be open through Labor Day.
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