11REVISED: 03/31/14

Town MeetingMay 15th, 2014

7:00 pm

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County Council:• Honorable Jane Hall• Honorable Roger Nutt

County Administration Staff:• Ms. Katherine O’Neil, County Administrator• Mr. Jim Hipp, Deputy County Administrator

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Welcome (cont’d)PSFD Board of Directors:

• Mr. Chris Taylor, Chairman• Mr. Lon Alexander, Vice Chairman• Dr. Jeff Wagner, Secretary• Mr. Mark Anderson• Mr. Steve Josey• Mr. Ron Newbold• Mr. Joe Vaughn

PSFD Staff:• Mr. Ronald D. Nordenbrock, Chief of Department• Mr. David Smith, Assistant Chief

You, the taxpayersREVISED: 03/11/14

4REVISED: 03/11/14

PSFD (50 sq. mi.)Created by SCC, Oct., 1979

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Northern District:•74% of Population•95% of Businesses•74% of Churches

PSFD Service Area (shaded):

•50 sq. mi. •158 Businesses•19 Churches• 5,235 Residences•13,600+ Population (est.)

LegendPSFD’s fire stations

Future PSFD fire station

REVISED: 03/27/14

TORAYlocation

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Who’s Who?• Spartanburg County Council –

– 7 elected members– Governing body for all County activities and

spending– Sets tax millage rate PSFSA– Approves annual budget for PSFSA

• PSFSA Board of Directors – – 7 members – Appointed by County Council – Responsible for annual PSFD budget:

• Creation• Submittal• Oversight

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Who’s Who?

• ISO (Insurance Services Organization) –

– Inspects and rates fire department effectiveness

– These ratings directly affect residential

property insurance rates

– Funded by insurance companies

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Who’s Who?

• You, the residents of the Poplar Springs Fire Service Area

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Initiative Overview• Objective:

– Acquire funds– Hire additional personnel– Avoid ISO reclassification– Improve fire protection capabilities

• Process: Referendum to request millage increase (15.3 to 20): June 10th

**Note: Millage Increase Request Based On 2013 Financials

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Referendum No. 19527

• “Do you favor the levy and collection of a tax of not more than 20.0 mills, the current tax being 15.3 mills, upon all the taxable property in the Poplar Springs Fire Service Area for the purpose of providing funds for hiring paid fire fighting personnel, purchasing additional equipment for the Service Area, providing funds for the increased operating expenses of the Service Area, and defraying other expenses incurred by the Service Area in providing fire protection within the Service Area?”

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REVISED: 03/27/14

SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY

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Headcount Plan• Current (8 full-time):

– 2 Chief Officers– 6 Firefighters– 2 Shifts of 3 at main station

• Proposed (12 full-time):– 2 Chief Officers– 10 Firefighters – Shifts/work stations TBD

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Financial Impact

• 4 additional fighters = $188,000/YEAR (est.).• Proposed 4.7 mil increase = additional $4.70 per

$1,000 assessed value* Tax Impact: Market Value (MV) x 4% = Assessed Value (AV)** $150,000 (MV) x 4% (Residential Rate) = $6,000 (AV)*** 6,000 (AV) x .0047 = $28.20 Increase

(Note: Reassessment occurs every 5 years with millage rolled up or down in accordancewith state statue. PSFSA’s millage from FY’10 through FY’13 remained constant at 15.3

mills. Our FY ’14/15 is projected to be slightly lower at 15.1 mils.

How does this tax increase affect you?

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* The average is based upon the current rates of 4 insurance companies.

Increased Annual Insurance Premiums (avg.)

If PSFD’s ISO Class changes from Class 4 to Class 5, the average insurance premium increase = $74.50 (2-3X avg. potential property tax increase).

Potential Insurance Impact

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PSFD Statistics

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Structural Fires:

•Fire Tetrahedron

• Start Small And Escalates

• Fire Growth

• New Construction &

Synthetic Materials

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Survivability:

•Deadly Smoke

•Gases

•Extreme Temperatures

Life Cycle of a Structural Fire

Information supplied by SC State Fire Marshall’s Office

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Maintain Our Current ISO Rating

• PSFD’s 2012 ISO class is 4/9, downgraded slightly from Class 4 In 1997

• How is our ISO classification determined?

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-- Water Supply (40%)

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ISO Fire Suppression Rating Schedule

ISO

Inspection

--Insurance Services Organization

-- Fire Alarms (10%)-- Fire Department (50%)

For residential properties,the lower the department’s ISO rating,

the lower your fire insurance premium!

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• Additional full-time personnel (w/successful referendum)

• Additional training (paid & volunteer)

• Automatic aid contracts with neighboring departments

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Actions To Maintain/Improve ISO Rating

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Actions To Maintain/Improve ISO Rating

Additional training (paid & volunteer)

•ISO Pts. available for increased department training•A partial list includes:

- Fire Prevention Certification- Public Fire Safety Continuing Education For All Firefighters- Public Fire Safety Education Programs For Our Community- Fire Investigator Certification And Continuing Education- Increased use of fire training facility at the ESA training facility- Increased continuing driver training hours

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• Automatic aid contracts with neighboring departments

Pending Contracts – Duncan, Startex, & Reidville Mutual Aid - Westview Fairforest, Roebuck, & Woodruff

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Actions To Maintain/Improve ISO Rating

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Referendum No. 19527• “Do you favor the levy and collection of a tax of not

more than 20.0 mills, the current tax being 15.3 mills, upon all the taxable property in the Poplar Springs Fire Service Area for the purpose of providing funds for hiring paid fire fighting personnel, purchasing additional equipment for the Service Area, providing funds for the increased operating expenses of the Service Area, and defraying other expenses incurred by the Service Area in providing fire protection within the Service Area?”

The Board of Directors, Officers and Firefighters of the Poplar Springs Fire Department respectfully request your support witha “Yes” vote on Referendum No. 19527 during the June 10th election.

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COMMENTSAND

QUESTIONS

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COMPARISIONINCREASED ANNUAL INSURANCE PREMIUMS

vs.INCREASED TAX FOR FIRE PROTECTION

ISO FARM BUR. Annual

CLASS PREMIUMS ** Premium CURRENT PROJECTED InformationIncrease 15.3 mils 20.00 mils ( Annual Tax Increase)

CLASSES 1 - 4 $600 $91.80 (+) $28.20/$6,000 AV or

CLASSES 5 - 6 $700 (+) $100 $120.00 (+) $4.70/$1,000 AV

ISO PRINCIPAL Annual

CLASS PREMIUMS ** Premium CURRENT PROJECTED InformationIncrease 15.3 mils 20.00 mils ( Annual Tax Increase)

CLASSES 1 - 4 $475 $91.80 (+) $28.20/$6,000 AV or

CLASSES 5 - 6 $621 (+) $146 $120.00 (+) $4.70/$1,000 AV

IF THIS RATING WERE TO DROP TO A CLASS 5 OR 6, THE PROPOSED

TAX INCREASE FOR FIRE PROTECTION WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY

LOWER THAN THE INCREASE IN YOUR FIRE INSURANCE PREMIUMS!

Tax $ for Fire Protection (TAX $ / $1,000 AV)

** These premiums are based upon a residence with a Market Value of $150,000 ($6,000 AV).

$100.00/Year Insurance Increase vs. $28.20/Year Tax Increase

$146.00/Year Insurance Increase vs. $28.20/Year Tax Increase

THE POPLAR SPRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT ISO RATING IS A CLASS 4/9.

FIRE INSURANCE PREMIUMS vs COST OF FIRE PROTECTION ($ per YEAR)

Tax for Fire Protection

REVISED: 6/20/13

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PLAN TO ACHIEVE GOAL

• ADVERTISEMENT BILLBOARDS and/or

• USE MAILOUTS TO NOTIFY AREA RESIDENTS OF “TOWN MEETINGS” TO BE HELD AT OUR MAIN STATION. DURING THESE MEETINGS, WE WOULD PRESENT OUR FUTURE PLANS, REQUEST THEIR SUPPORT AT THE JUNE, 2014 ELECTION, AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

REVISED: 6/20/13

$28

$75

Yes No

=

=

=

=Yes No

*If PSFD ISO rating drops

Copy of PowerPoint on PSFD web site: www.poplarspringsfd.com

Vs.

Yes No

$28==

More Info: 1) www.poplarspringsfd.com, or 2) Town Hall Meeting 7:00 on 5/15

REVISED: 03/11/14