Newberry Sets Fire Assessment Rates

NEWBERRY ‒ The Newberry City Commission met July 8, 2024, to consider rates for the upcoming fiscal year. Of the five-member commission, Commissioner Mark Clark was not in attendance.

Newberry Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Dallas Lee proposed Resolution 2024-28, a preliminary Fire Assessment. Summarizing calls received for services, Lee said there had been 1,180 total calls for EMS and fire-related issues in the past year. Breaking down those calls by category, Lee reported that EMS service calls numbered 882, while 308 had been for fire services with another 88 for non-specific fire calls.

This year, rather than only identifying calls and fees by category such as residential, commercial, industrial/warehouse, the City weighted the calls using two factors; average call duration and average personnel response. Results of the new methodology revealed that the Industrial/Warehouse category made up 13.26 percent of the calls, which was the largest category except for residential properties. Using this weighted process, Industrial/Warehouse calls showed a difference of 11.62 percent.

“A special assessment for fire services can only be used to fund personnel costs, capital improvements, equipment and other costs related to responding to fire/non-medical emergencies and maintaining readiness to respond to fire/non-medical emergencies through staffing, training, procuring and maintaining facilities and equipment,” said Lee during his presentation.

The Commission voted 3 – 1, with Commissioner Monty Farnsworth casting the dissenting vote, to continue with a $200 assessment per Residential Dwelling Unit for Fiscal Year 2024-25. Rates will be charged for Commercial properties at $0.24 per square foot, Industrial/Warehouse properties will be charged $0.25 per square foot and Institutional properties will be charged at $0.06 per square foot.

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