WHITEWATER FIRE DEPARTMENT POSES 30-CENT LEVY JUNE 7

WHITEWATER -- How much is fire water from Whitewater worth?

That's what residents of southwest Cape Girardeau County, now served by the Whitewater Rural Fire Department, will decide June 7.

The decision involves whether or not residents want to create a tax-supported fire protection district and levy a 30-cent tax to upgrade the fire protection service.

The proposed Whitewater Fire Protection District would be similar to other tax-supported, rural fire districts that have been created in the county since the early 1970s.

Whitewater is the last of the seven rural fire departments in Cape County to organize as a tax-supported fire district.

Voters in the Gordonville Fire Protection District approved their tax-supported fire district last year.

Residents of the Millersville Fire Protection District authorized a tax levy when they approved the formation of the district 17 years ago. But until this year, the district's board of directors had not asked for a levy.

On April 5, the Millersville district is asking residents to approve a 30-cent tax levy. With an assessed valuation of $13.9 million, a 30-cent tax would generate about $40,000 for the Millersville Fire District.

The boundaries of the new Whitewater Fire District would be about the same as those of the Whitewater Fire Department, according to Joyce Horky, secretary and firefighter with the Whitewater Fire Department.

Horky said the department is asking residents to approve the tax levy to upgrade its equipment and construct a new fire station at Allenville.

Other needs include a fire engine and the lowering of the fire department's Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating from the current Class 9 to a Class 8.

Horky explained commercial and residential fire insurance policy premiums are based in part on the ISO classification. The lower the classification, the lower the fire insurance premium.

In addition to the rural area, the new fire district would also provide fire protection for Whitewater, Allenville, Crump, Lake Girardeau, and the Hidden Valley Fishing Club.

There are approximately 1,060 people who live within the boundaries of the proposed fire district.

Like other rural fire departments that later organized into tax-supported fire districts, the Whitewater Fire Department now depends on voluntary donations or "memberships" for its funding. "We're not getting enough money each year to continue to maintain the current level of fire protection service, much less upgrade the service and build a new fire station at Allenville," said Horky.

"Only about 50 percent of the property owners are paying. With a tax-supported fire district, everybody pays their fair share for fire protection."

Horky said the average annual income for the Whitewater Fire Department is between $12,600 and $12,900. Receipts in the 1993 budget amounted to $16,553.

But Horky said that included a one-time, $3,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Expenditures for the 1993 budget were $14,424.

The proposed fire district has an assessed valuation of $5,462,790, including $4,347,320 in real estate assessments and $1,115,470 in personal property assessments. That's one of the lowest assessed valuations of the seven rural fire districts.

If the tax levy is approved, Horky said it would raise about $16,388 annually. In most cases, the tax cost to most residents will be less than the cost of their annual fire insurance premium.

For example, Horky said based on an average $50,000 house in the proposed fire district, the tax rate would be equal to or less than the normal $30 per year donation to the Whitewater Fire Department.

She added, "With a tax levy, the fire district will have a dependable and set amount of income each year. We can do a better job of setting up our budget each year. We will also create a capital improvement fund and use that money to upgrade or replace our worn out firefighting equipment. This, in turn, will help us earn points we'll need to lower the ISO classification."

The Whitewater Fire Department has two fire stations : 8530 State Highway A, in Whitewater and at 2150 County Road 380.

The department has five pieces of firefighting apparatus:

- 1955 Chevrolet/Howe pumper fire engine, with 500 gallon (gpm) pump and 500 gallon water tank

- 1964 Chevrolet/Towers pumper engine, with 750 gpm pump and 750 gallon water tank

- 1979 Ford F-250, 4X4 drive, with 300 gpm auxiliary pump and 125 gallon water tank.

- 1977 International chassis/locally constructed 1,500 gallon water tanker truck

- 1964 Ford chassis/locally constructed 1,500 gallon water tanker truck.

The department has approximately 13 volunteer firefighters.

Horky said fire Whitewater Fire Department officials are optimistic about the June 7 vote. She said, "When we took the petitions around for signatures, we had almost 100 percent support. We have a really good solid backing for the fire protection district."

The new fire district would be governed by a five-member board of directors, who will be elected June 7. Candidates that have already filed for directorships are Elmer Bartels, Jr., David Blumenberg, Wes Blumenberg and Joyce Horky.

Other candidates who would like to file for one of the seats on the board should do so before April 5, at the county clerk's office in Jackson. Candidates must have been a registered voter of the proposed fire district for at least two years, and be 25 years of age.