Attending: President Dave Steinmann, Secretary Dave Sturtz, Ben Blaugrumd, Darrell McConnell, Chief Chris Finn and guest Gretchen Diefenderfer.

Minutes of the last meeting were approved.

Budget – Dave Steinmann reported that the main agenda item is the budget. Because of the projected 30% shortfall in tax revenue from the County, we need to consider additional ways to raise funds.  There was considerable discussion along the lines of spend less, take in more.  We do have outdated equipment that needs to be replaced, plus other ongoing expenses.  The proposed budget will be out soon.  Chris has written a grant, but I didn’t get if  we had heard the results yet.  Kris Gibson is also working on writing a grant for SCBA.

We have enough to cover expenses for a few years from the Community Foundation, but fewer years than we planned for originally.  We can do more fundraisers.  Dave Sturtz thought we should put our feelers to the town for ideas.   We can consider raising taxes sometime in the next few years.   Our rate is 7.499% right now – somewhere in the middle range of other fire departments.  Chris replied that, as a businessman, he would personally fight a tax increase.  He’s opposed to the burden falling on the Inn.  Ben said that it seems like the most equitable way and we have to spend what’s necessary to run the department effectively.  The fire dept. website (http://www.goldhillfire.org/GHFPD.html) is still under construction right now, but will have a PayPal button on it for contributions.  Dave Steinmann suggested the idea of hiring a grant writer who could devote more time to looking for grant money – he has heard there are a lot of grants out there from groups and foundations.  Ben said he’d heard the same thing at the Round Table meetings.  Darrell will call Kris and Bear, who has also volunteered to work on grant writing, and see how it’s going with them, how much time they’re spending, etc., and if they would be able to devote more time to searching out grants if it was some kind of paid position.  Dave Sturtz suggested we ask the other departments what they’re doing.

Chris said the Chefs’ dinner benefit at the Inn was a big success and each of the 4 departments whose land actually burned should get approx. $2800 with a chunk also going to United Way to support mental health needs for people affected by the fire.  There has also been talk of that becoming a yearly event.

Gretchen was asked to be the liaison to the Town Meeting to bring up and explain the shortfall.  Dave Sturtz may also go.  I also said that, although my taxes went down after the fire, I planned to donate the amount that would have gone to the fire department anyway and would suggest that people consider doing that, too.   It’s not a very large amount, really, particularly considering the rest of my taxes went down.

Elections

Elections are held in even years and the positions up in May of 2012 are Dave Steinmann, Dave Sturtz, and Ben Blaugrund.

Reported by Gretchen Diefenderfer