Plan to raise fire fees moves forward

AIKEN --- Phil Stack and Andy Olson, residents of the Cedar Creek subdivision, understand that costs associated with fire protection are rising, but the men said county residents living in the New Ellenton Fire District deserve to know why their yearly fire fees could more than triple.

"Yes, we understand that things are going up," said Mr. Stack, the president of the subdivision's homeowners association. "But tell us what the budget is, and give us a justification."

New Ellenton Fire Chief Mike Kellem submitted a proposal to the city council asking for a fee increase of $12 to $35 for city residents and proposing a sliding scale based on property values for residents living in the county within the fire district.

Currently, residents outside the city limits whose homes are assessed at more than $120,000 pay $80 a year in fire fees. For them, the proposal calls for an increase between $90 and $275, depending on property values.

Chief Kellem said New Ellenton has some of the lowest fire fees in the county and that the proposed increase "is pretty much the fee structure for the entire county." The fire district's last increase was in 1999.

The city council approved the increase on a first reading. If the council approves the second reading, the proposal will go to the Aiken County Council for approval.

If the county council approves the increase, New Ellenton's fire fees for county residents will be more in line with Montmorenci's ($290 for a home assessed at $430,000 or more) and Couchton's fire fees ($300 for a home assessed at $400,000 or more).

"We understand because of our water issues that we're outside the city limits, we pay more money. We can accept that," Mr. Stack said. "But there's no justification to go forward on this whole thing."

At the city council meeting, Chief Kellem, who is also a council member, told the council that about 85 percent of the fire department's budget came from fire fees outside the city limits.

The fee increase "is mainly going to affect Cedar Creek," he said. "They do not want to be a part of the city. They do not want to be annexed into the city."

The fire department's budget last year was about $185,000. Chief Kellem did not have a budget for the next fiscal year when he submitted his proposal to the council nor did he know how much revenue the proposed increases would produce from county residents.

While the residents of Cedar Creek are not New Ellenton residents, Mr. Olson said they have done their part to support the fire department and the city.

"This thing has kind of rubbed a bunch of us the wrong way," he said. "We don't like the attitude of 'sticking it to Cedar Creek.' "

Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.