Amidst all the rumors and talk about what should be done within the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District, Commissioner “Flip” Harby believes the hard financial times, which have been unsettling in the community, will soon reflect into the local fire houses.

“My intent is to show the people how much money we spend in tax money for labor and salaries and show where the money has to come from in order for us to not lay any more people off or not close any stations,” said Harby. “There is going to be a change in the district.”

Harby said one change may be a proposed 10-percent reduction in wages across the board. District 3’s estimated wages for fiscal 2008/09 stood at $5,353,303 before six fire fighters and two administrators were let go. Two other fire district employees -an inspector and a fire fighter- are no longer with the district due to retirement/termination reasons.

“We cleaned house at the administrative staff as far as we can go,” Harby said. “To my knowledge, the problem, in a nutshell, is that the union refuses to make any wage concessions as to date. Therefore, in order for us to make payroll and pay bills, we need to cut our overhead. The only fixed costs that we can cut is labor.

“I think the chief is going to propose for a 10-percent base salary cut across the board. We need to stop the bleeding. I don’t know why the union doesn’t see it?”

Harby stated that it takes $9.2 or $9.3 million to run the district. The current millage rate of 1.99 mils brings in less than $7.5 million. If the proposed millage rate for fiscal year 2009/10 passes at 2.3017 mils (press time was three hours before the start of the final budget hearing), total operating expenditures are expected to be at just over $10 million while revenue collects under $9 million.

“This is going to be a long-term situation,” said Harby. “This isn’t going to end next year or the following year because of the loss of 50 percent of home values. So, our revenue stream is going to be impacted for a long time. The citizens and the union, more so the union, are going to have to understand that.”

Harby compared the Beach fire district’s previous years of high property values with the current recessionary times. Two or three years ago, the commission adopted a millage rate of 1.99 after sitting between 2.6 and 2.8 mils in the mid-2000s.

“We’ve never gone that low in the history of the district,” said Harby of the 1.99 mils. “I’ve lived on this Beach all my life and have never seen this (decrease) happen to our property values. We’re still in better shape than some communities, but it puts us in a very precarious position as far as making budget.

Harby believes FMB Fire Chief Mike Becker has done a good job. During the first budget hearing Sept. 4, it was Becker who asked his commission to allow him to deal with the proposed budget’s consequences.

“The chief has requested by the board that he administer whatever cutbacks that needs to be made,” said Harby. “He has taken that burden on. If you were a fire fighter coming to this district fresh out of fire school, then Chief Becker would be the mold you would want to put yourself into. He started on the floor as a fire fighter and moved up the ranks to where he is now the chief. What a success story. Everyone should be looking at that.”

Harby thinks the union is trying to find a way to end Becker’s term. History serves as an example, he says.

“This union has a history of ending the honeymoon in three years,” said Harby. “Go back in history, and you’ll see that is pretty accurate. For some reason, the union doesn’t like fire chiefs, and Becker is one of their own.

Could there be more layoffs?

“I can’t tell you positively, but I’m afraid there will be more layoffs,” said Harby. “There is only so much money to operate with and, if you don’t have it, you have to get it from somewhere.”

Local 1826 District 3 Union Representative Troy Mesick could not be reached for comment.

FMB Fire Control District

Estimated wages for fiscal year-end 9/30/09

Dept. No. Yrs. (service) Avg. wage*

1. Chiefs 5 23.4 $143,587

2. Fire Marshal/ 3 21.7 $128,083

Inspector/

Med. officer

3. Remaining 3 3.0 $ 68,327

Admin. personnel

4. Lt. 5 11.8 $108,371

5. Eng. 14 14.9 $ 96,822

6. Capt. 4 15.3 $111,871

7. FF2 11 5.7 $ 77,561

8. FF3 5 3.2 $ 67,228

9. FF4** 6 1.0 $ 47,346

Total wages $5,353,303

*estimated wages include OT and other federally mandated wage adjustments

**the six fire fighters who were laid off recently.