A special meeting of the Peninsula Township Board will take place on Thursday, March 29, 9 a.m. at the Township Hall.
On the agenda is a public hearing for the Peninsula Fire Department Millage Request, Fiscal Year 2018-19. During the presentation of the budget at the March 27 Township Board meeting, Fire Chief Fred Gilstorff said his number one goal for the Peninsula Fire Department is to reduce response times, and the proposed budget of 2 mils will move them closer to reaching that goal.
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Peninsula Fire Department currently averages a time of 51 seconds to leave the station for an emergency run, which puts them in the 90th percentile for turnout times. However, between Jan. 1, 2018 and March 25, 2018, the average response time for runs was 9 minutes and one second. The national average is eight minutes for fire response and four minutes for an agency that provies BLS (Basic Life Support) transport service.
Other goals for Peninsula Fire Department include:
- Provide the best possible Fire and EMS service to Peninsula Township residents.
- Ensure the safety of the firefighters and citizens.
- Recruit and retain more firefighters within the community, with increased pay for firefighter positions.
- Upgrade the apparatus, equipment and fire stations.
To provide that service, Gilstorff outlines these goals:
- Hire three firefighter/paramedics to upgrade to ALS (Advanced Life Support) service.
- Staff both fire stations with a minimum of two firefighters.
- Staffing will include two full-time and two part-time firefighters.
- Training to the highest standard.
- Public education and fire prevention programs.
He notes that the fire stations will need to be replaced and relocated for better service to the community and for the safety and efficiency of the firefighters. “We have the capability of being the best fire department in the state of Michigan,” says Gilstorff. Click here to view the full presentation.
Also on the March 29 meeting agenda:
- Adoption of General Fund Budget, Fire Department Budget, Special Funds Budget, and appropriate resolutions.
- Resolution 2018-03-29 #1 to adopt the General Fund Budget for fiscal year 2018-2019 at the department level and to appropriate spending the budgeted money.
- Resolution 2018-03-29 #2 to adopt the Fire Department Budget for fiscal year 2018-2019 at the department level and to appropriate spending the budgeted money.
- Resolution 2018-03-29 #3 to set the 2018-2019 millage for the Fire Department at 2.0 mils.
- Resolution 2018-03-29 #4 to adopt the Special Fund budget for fiscal year 2018-2019 at the department level and to appropriate spending the budgeted money.
- Resolution 2018-03-29 #5 authorizing the Clerk and Treasurer to pay recurring bills to avoid late charges and/or finance charges, and authorizing the Supervisor to make budget adjustments and authorize bills up to $1000 if necessary.
- Resolution 2018-03-29 #6 authorizing the Treasurer to utilize financial institutions of his choice as provided by law.
- Resolution 2018-03-29 #7 authorizing the Treasurer’s Office to access Online Banking through Traverse City State Bank and Chemical Bank.
- Resolution 2018-03-29 #8 approving the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Calendar.
Peninsula Township Hall is located at 13235 Center Road on the Old Mission Peninsula. As always, there will be time during the meeting for citizen comments.
