City Council

City of Trenton SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING March 9th, 2023 - 6:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER PRAYER ROLL CALL PRESENTATIONS 1. Fire Chief Darrell Yater - Fire Department Staffing Presentation. 2. City Finance Director Matthew Mesisklis – Fire Department Levy Presentation. REPORTS AUDIENCE OF COUNCIL ADJOURNMENT Trenton Fire Department staffing Preface • The fire service as a whole is facing issues reference staffing, recruitment, and retention. • The last 5 years have shown a decline in people entering the fire service. • Upon researching the issue, we found that there were several reasons why the fire service is seeing a decline in recruitment and retention. Why the shortage of Firefighters/ Paramedics? • Covid-19 Pandemic- fear of becoming critically ill from a communicable disease during the pandemic. • Physically demanding profession- Full PPE/Equipment weighs approximately 75-100 lbs depending on your function on the fireground. This is in addition to performing physically demanding tasks such as fire attack, search and rescue, and ventilation. • Many departments, including Trenton FD require candidates to obtain Firefighter and EMS certification prior to being eligible for hire. The cost for obtaining this education is high. Ex. ( Firefighter Level 2 -$5200, EMT- $1600, Paramedic $10,000) • Increasing continuing education requirements. • Low relative wages amongst comparable professions. • Constant cuts to employee benefits and retirement system. • Life expectancy for a firefighter is 10 years shorter than the average American. • Increased risk of occupational cancer due to repeat exposure to carcinogens. Why do our personnel choose to work part-time? • Primary source of income • Supplemental income • To help enjoy a higher style of living. • Provides money for hobbies, extra toys, things they could not afford before. • “It’s in my blood, keeps me busy, enjoys helping our community, enjoys the atmosphere of the department”. • Flexible scheduling, work as little or as much as they want. For most of our personnel, Trenton Fire Department is not their primary source of income, there is no commitment to having to work a regular schedule, they can walk away at any time. What prevents you from working more hours? • Family commitment- must maintain a work/ life balance. • Having children in school, with sports and school activities. • Low pay scale. • Paying for child care is cost prohibitive. • Don’t want to work a lot of hours. • Full time job commitments and overtime. • Schedule conflicts with other part time jobs. • No benefits. 2022 Run statistics • Trenton Fire Department responded to 1,725 calls for service in 2022. This is a 15% increase over 2021. • EMS Calls-1497. • Advanced Life support-695 • Basic Life support-802 • Fire Calls-228 • Working structure fires (First due area)-8 • Working structure fires (Mutual aid)- 18 • Vehicle fires- 8 • Motor Vehicle Accidents- 25. (4 requiring extrication) EMS run statistics • EMS calls account for nearly 85% of our call volume. • EMS calls by age group • Age 0-12 – 64 calls • Age 13-20 -54 calls • Age 21-49 – 357 calls • Age 50-84+ - 812 calls Trenton Fire Department averaged 4.76 calls for service per day throughout 2022. Staffing challenges • Trenton Fire Department is currently authorized to staff 4 crew members 24/7. • Trenton Fire Department fell short in regard to adequate staffing in 3 main areas throughout 2022. • 53% of the time we did not have an officer on shift. • 46% of the time we did not have a fully staffed shift. (4 personnel) • 10% of the time we did not have a Paramedic on shift.  Personnel • Trenton Fire Department has experienced and inexperienced Fire/EMS personnel. • These individuals are hard workers and provide an excellent service to the City of Trenton. • Many of the applicants that have applied to work for Trenton Fire Department are fresh out of the Fire academy. They lack hands on experience in the profession. • The lack of experienced personnel on shift can present a safety issue if a critical incident occurs, such as a structure fire or cardiac arrest. • Several of our personnel are not interested in working above the minimum hour requirement as Trenton Fire Department only supplements their income from their full-time job.  What has Trenton Fire Department done to remedy our staffing shortfalls? • Trenton FD has applied for and has been awarded a reimbursable grant in the amount of $555,340 from the State of Ohio ARPA grant for First responder Recruitment , Retention and Resiliency. Funding will be utilized to supplement our budget for staffing and payroll. This has to be utilized by December 2024, or we forfeit the remaining balance. • Increased recruitment and advertising efforts. • Promoted two firefighter/paramedics to Lieutenants to improve shift coverage with officers. • Restructured our officer pay to reflect common practice amongst comparable departments in our region. Looking to the future for Trenton Fire Department • The part-time firefighter hiring pool continues to shrink as many departments are hiring full-time personnel. • Our pay scale must be evaluated regularly to remain competitive with other departments in our area. • Trenton Fire Department is currently operating in a slight operational deficit in regard to funding. • A fire levy is necessary to ensure Trenton FD is able to provide the same level of service moving forward. • Full-time personnel will help to remedy the staffing shortfalls faced by Trenton Fire Department. Our Goal • Trenton Fire Department’s goal is to provide the citizens of Trenton with the best possible Fire and EMS service that we can with the resources that we are allocated by City council. In closing • Post 9/11 the fire service realized an influx of applicants wanting to be a firefighter. • This influx of candidates has fallen off and the fire service has seen a drastic decrease in qualified candidates interested in the profession. • Trenton Fire Department continues to face staffing shortages as we are battling a shrinking hiring pool. Levy Education City of Trenton Fire and Finance Departments Trenton Property Taxes and What they pay for BC Developmental Disabilities, 1.80 TRENTON PROPERTY TAX LEVIES BC Child Svcs and JVSD, 3.54 BC Mental Health BC Senior Citizens, 1.05 Trenton Residents Trenton General Fund, 3.24 pay many types of BC General Fund 1.92 MidPointe Library .9 property tax, but only 20% pays for City Trenton Police, 4.02 Services. Other Metro Parks .59 Trenton Fire, 3.45 Edgewood Schools, 32.52 Ohio Tax Limitations • Ohio Property Tax dates back to 1825 • Various protections exist to safeguard property rights and limit tax burden • 1934 – 15 -> 10 Mill limitation on unvoted property tax • 1976 – Levy Reduction factors are implemented, preventing rising home value in an area from increasing tax liability • 2005 – Residential property granted 12.5% Homestead Rollback discount on all levies • 2014 – Rollback repealed on future levies, remains for older ones Levy Provisions • If City Council believes a new revenue source should be sought to fund a particular program, a levy may be placed on the ballot. • Levies are measured by “Millage” • Millage is levied on properties such that 1 Mill = $1 per Audited “Valuation” of the property. • “Valuation” is 35% of the Auditor’s Appraised Value  Valuation and Tax Liability • “Valuation” is determined by the County Auditor and is assigned to properties at 35% of the appraised value as of January 1 of the Tax Year. • Valuations are only updated every 3 years. • Levies are collected 1 year in arrears. • Should a levy pass on-ballot in CY 2023, residents would not pay the levy until CY 2024, based on 2023 assessed valuations. • Disabled Veterans have access to homestead exemptions, and should contact the County Auditor’s Office for property tax benefits  Effective Rate Levies on Trenton Residents Levy Purpose Levy Year Original Mills Effective Mills (2022) • A levy’s millage is capped at the voted BC General Fund BC Developmental Disabilities Unvoted 2000 1.92 1.5 1.92 .97 amount based on one’s property on January BC Developmental Disabilities 2004 1 0.79 1st of the election year. BC Mental Health 1985 0.5 0.191 BC Mental Health 2006 1 0.79 • Increases in property value while a levy is in BC Senior Citizens BC Child Services 2008 2 1.58 2010 1.3 1.02 effect do not increase the tax bill for voted BC JVSD – Butler Tech 1976 1.43 1.43 levies on the home beyond the first bill BC JVSD – Butler Tech 1977 0.5 0.5 Metro Parks 2022 0.7 0.7 unless your property increases in value at a Midpointe Library 2010 0.75 0.58 Edgewood General Fund Unvoted 4.84 4.84 greater rate than the entire jurisdiction. Edgewood (Various Levies) 1976-2020 38.04 27.68 • Instead, the effective rate of the levy Trenton General Fund Unvoted 3.24 3.24 Trenton Fire / EMS 2012 4.5 3.45 decreases as the value of homes increase Trenton Police 2016 5.25 4.02 TOTAL 73.97 54.07  Guess the Value • What would you say this home costs? • What do you think the Auditor appraised it at?  Auditor Appraisals • In May 2020, this Trenton home sold for $270,000. • In December 2020, this home was appraised by the County at $227,000. At the same time, Zillow estimated this home to be worth $304,000. • This is a reminder that County appraisal, which taxes are based on, is not linked directly to sale value • Its Assessed Valuation is $79,550. • If a 6.5 Mill levy is placed on this home this year, its additional yearly tax bill would be $517.08 • Your home value and tax history is visible at propertysearch.butlercountyauditor.org  Home Example • In 2020, this Hamilton home’s “valuation” was $33,390. A new Street Levy was passed in 2020 for 3.9 Mills, meaning the 2021 tax bill for the street levy was an added $130.22. • In 2021, this house was sold for $140,000. • The 2022 tax bill for the street levy remained $130.22 • Regardless of the reappraisal value, the 2023-25 tax bills for the street levy will still be $130.22, assuming this property increases in value at the rate of the community as a whole • The City does not control reappraisal estimates, but this presentation accounts for a 10% increase in 2023. • Your home value and tax history is visible at propertysearch.butlercountyauditor.org Levy Cost and Assumptions REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS Increase from New $0 Builds LEVY COST PER YEAR 2023 Valuation $245,000,000 Jan 1 2023 Auditor-Appraised 4.75M Tax 6.5M Tax Home Value Outside Subsidy $0 $150,000 $ 249.38 $ 341.25 (Grant or other Fund) $200,000 $ 332.50 $ 455.00 RID Value - Begin 2035 $ 12,000,000 $225,000 $ 374.06 $ 511.88 4.75 Mil $ 97,000 $250,000 $ 415.63 $ 568.75 6.5 Mil $ 118,000 How many EXPENSE ASSUMPTIONS $275,000 $ 457.19 $ 625.63 Trenton homes Insurance Annual Increase 12% $300,000 $ 498.75 $ 682.50 are in this range? Insurance Plan ALL FT $ 27,948 $350,000 $ 581.88 $ 796.25 (2020 Appraisal year) EMPLOYEES C.O.L. Increase 3% $400,000 $ 665.00 $ 910.00 Average Step Factor (4 steps) 100% Full-Time Dispatcher and Chief YES Overtime Budget 10% Salary EMS/Grant Revenue Covers Equipment Expenses Levy vs Funding – Status Quo • The Current Fire Levy was passed in 2012 at 4.5 mills. It is now effectively 3.45 mills. Status Quo Sustainability 4-Man Part-Time $700,000 $650,893 $574,445 $600,000 $470,580 $500,000 Total Cash Year-End $400,000 $338,428 $300,000 $177,093 $200,000 $100,000 $(14,360) $- 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 $(100,000) $(200,000) $(236,895) $(300,000) Year Levy vs Costs – Plan A Levy Sustainability - 6.5Mils, 3FT, 2PT Fighters per shift $1,500,000 $1,142,592 $1,166,949 Year-End Cash (Revenue Less Expenses) $1,070,765 $1,006,278 $1,000,000 $844,572 $765,796 $428,224 $477,918 $500,000 $(40,753) $- 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 $(500,000) $(724,220) $(1,000,000) Year Levy vs Costs – Plan B Levy Sustainability - 4.75 Mills, 2FT, 3PT Fighters per shift $1,000,000 $843,796 $863,377 $796,292 Year-End Cash (Revenues Less Expenses) $800,000 $742,943 $636,630 $565,747 $600,000 $377,906 $400,000 $316,721 $200,000 $12,994 $- 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 $(200,000) $(400,000) $(465,944) $(600,000) Year Levy vs Funding – Status Quo • The Current Fire Levy was passed in 2012 at 4.5 mills. It is now effectively 3.45 mills. Status Quo Sustainability 4-Man Part-Time $700,000 $650,893 $574,445 $600,000 $470,580 $500,000 Total Cash Year-End $400,000 $338,428 $300,000 $177,093 $200,000 $100,000 $(14,360) $- 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 $(100,000) $(200,000) $(236,895) $(300,000) Year New Funding for Status Quo Sustainability • Dispatch Coverage: 20% = $74,200 annually • 4- Man shifts: $193k Increase from 3-man levy • Fire Station Debt Service: $128k cost, not included in original levy • Total Annual Cost: $395,000 • 1.75 Mill Levy = $428,750