VILLAS – Fire Commissioner Lew Conley presented the budget for fire district #2 (Town Bank) to Lower Township Council during the February 6, 2023 council meeting. The budget has no tax increase for the residents of Lower Township.
Members of the public in fire district #2 will get the opportunity to vote to approve the budget during the fire district election on Saturday, February 18, 2023 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Town Bank Fire House, located at 224 Town Bank Road. Residents in districts #1 and #3 will also be voting that day at their respective fire district. The date of the election is set by the state, not the fire district.
Conley told the Lower Township Council and members of the public that fire district #2 has a $1.343 million dollar budget with $1.051 million to be raised by taxation. However, despite the budget increase in the amount to be raised by taxation, there will be no tax increase since the appropriation is funded with new ratables in the district and prior capital reserves. The current and proposed tax rate is $0.067 which means that a property assessed at $100,000 will pay $67.00 for the year.
The budget includes a new aerial tower, which was anticipated in 2021 and delivery had to be delayed to 2022 due to the difficulty of getting parts, equipment and supplies. Conley said, the fire district must replace the current aerial tower (a fire truck with a raised ladder and bucket) and build a new aerial tower since the current tower will have a zero-insurance rating after this year. Aerial towers, no matter their condition, are rated for 25 years and then must be replaced.
Lower Township has three fire companies that provide fire coverage to three separate fire districts. Each district is comprised of five commissioners who are elected by the voters of the respective fire district. Fire district #1 supports the Villas Fire Company, Station 60. Fire district #2 supports the Town Bank Fire Company, Station 61. Fire district #3 supports the Erma Fire Company, Station 62.
Town Bank Vol. Fire Company has served Lower Township since 1945, and its members responds to an average of 180 calls per year. They operate out of one station with the following:
- 1 Command Unit 6110
- 2 Engines 6134 & 6133
- 1 Tower Ladder 6155
- 1 Pumper/2000 gal. Water Tender 6148
- Dive/Rescue Unit 6195
- 1 Rehab/Fire Ground Support Unit 6197
- 4 Marine Units Marine #1-4
The fire district’s response area is currently assessed at approximately $1.5 billion, is approximately 11.8 square miles of Lower Township including five miles out in the Delaware Bay, south to Cape May Point, east along the canal to Schellenger’s Landing located near the United States Coast Guard Base in Cape May. Most of the area is single family dwellings ranging from single story homes to multi-million-dollar beach front homes. The department has a diverse response area including strip malls, apartment complexes, convalescent, and rehabilitation centers, three schools, marina’s, restaurants and local businesses. Mutual aid is also given and received to Cape May, West Cape May, Villas and Erma.
Conley noted that the district works hard to maintain a fiscally responsible budget with no tax increase to the residents.
