The Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District’s board of commissioners narrowly passed a $23.7 million budget after two people out of four, who attended the “tentative budget hearing” on Sept. 8, admonished the fire department and its commissioners for its financial problems.

The vote was 3 -2 in favor of the budget for the 2011-2012 year beginning next month and continuing until September of 2012.

The budget carries a total revenue report and carry forward amount of $26.2 million in anticipation of ad valorem taxes, ambulance transport fees and a dip into the department’s reserves.

The meeting last week was for the purpose of the budget and no other business, according to the fire district’s attorney, Richard Pringle. Jeff Berndt, the chairman of the board opened the meeting at 5:01 p.m. and one of the first orders of business was a resolution to fix the millage rate again at 3 mills. The board passed the resolution in the form of a roll call, which Pringle said had to be done to make it legal. A final budget meeting for the purpose of the millage rate will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 22.

By law, the board of commissioners cannot go higher than 3 mills without going through the legislature.

Before a vote of the final budget, Commissioners Linda Carter and Kevin Shea, each said they were not happy with the budget with a warning from both that the district was facing a financial crisis.

Shea said that at some time, the District is going to run out of money. When asked, staff told Shea that $2.1 million was being added to the budget from the fire district’s reserves, leaving a little less than $4 million.

At one point of the meeting, Chief Donald Adams said it was smart that the department had built up a good reserve for times like now when less in taxes are coming in to support the department.

Commissioner Carter, before the budget vote, said she was not sure how to vote.

“This budget is lopsided to the point that not enough money is coming in to balance the budget. And we have thousands of homeowners paying less than $10 a year to support the fire department.”

“I am going to vote no,” Carter said.

Commissioner Larry Becker said there were contractual agreements with the union such as a binding contract. He also said that the board can’t do anything to reduce expenses because of the Safer Grant which mandates that the department replace any firefighters that leave.

“So I see that we have no choice but to vote for the budget,” he said. “We are locked in with the unions until we negotiate. Our hands are pretty much tied. I am going to vote yes.”

Commissioner David Adams also said the board “is stuck until labor negotiations begin. I don’t know how we can save money and indicated he would also vote yes.

Chairman Jeff Berndt voted yes to the budget, making it a 3 to 2 vote.

Mohamad Yasin and Mike New, two people that attended the hearing spoke out blaming the board for a lack of leadership.

Mike New, who said he was a new resident, said he couldn’t believe the fire department had gotten itself in such a financial condition.

New asked several questions of the board and of Chief Adams. He said he was a new resident of Lehigh and couldn’t believe what he was reading in the papers about the financial problems of the District. He noted the high salaries of many of the firefighters and asked why it had been allowed. He said he was a volunteer firefighter from up north.

The chief explained that due to the ailing economy that the department was collecting less in tax revenue. He told New that the department had to lay off firefighters and that a Safer grant had been given to the department, one of the largest fire districts in the country to get such a grant from the federal government.

“But the grant runs out next August in 2012,” Chief Adams said.

Many believe he will be forced to lay off 40 or more firefighters again in a year if there is not another Safer Grant to pay many salaries of the 120 or so firefighters. The chief said last month at a meeting that he planned to apply again for the federal grant, but did not know if the department would be successful in getting help again.

A full budget with an estimated list of revenues for the 2011/2012 is available to the public online. Go to: www.lehighfd.com/ and click on the budget link.

Estimated expenditures with complete information is listed in detail.

Only four people from the public attended the meeting held at the Microtel Inn & suites, the same site for the final budget hearing on Sept. 22.

Despite monetary problems, the public has indicated in polls that people will not support an assessment fee added to their taxes. Rarely are there more than a few people from the public at the meetings. More firefighters and sometimes their families attend the meetings.

More people attended a hearing a few weeks back supporting the growing of chickens in backyards in Lehigh than have attended a fire district meetings in years.