Mehlville Fire Protection District Agenda
Directors' Meeting November 3, 2009
MFPD Conference Room
11020 Mueller Road
Aaron Hilmer Bonnie Stegman Ed Ryan
Chairman Treasurer Secretary
CALL REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER AT 5:00 P.M.
PAYMENT OF BILLS OF OCTOBER 26, 2009
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 19, 20, 26 AND 27, 2009
OLD BUSINESS
Fit for Duty
IHS Wellness Program
NEW BUSINESS
PUBLIC COMMENTS
BOARD VOTE ON CLOSED SESSION
OPEN SESSION ADJOURNMENT
CLOSED SESSION IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING OPEN SESSION
Personnel
Legal
Real Estate
CLOSED SESSION ADJOURNMENT
9 comments:
I heard there is a meeting on the 5th at 5pm no agenda though.
Mike--
I know you hate the Call, but the most recent included an article of high interest. I would recommend you read about how the attorney general has concluded that the fire board set tax rate violates rules. Essentially, when the rate was set at 56.3 cents last year, and according to new legislation passed (SB 711), the district set a new ceiling. And when the district decreased the tax rate ceiling by 40 cents, then it lowered the rate to 16.3 cents, not the 59.3 cents that everyone thought. HA HA! What will we do now?
Here is a summary of the actual legislation:
Rollback Requirements for Taxing Jurisdictions with Levy Rates Voluntarily Below
Their Tax Rate Ceilings
Amendments to Section 137.073 RSMo made by SB 711 remove some of the flexibility
taxing jurisdictions previously had when voluntarily setting tax levy rates below their tax rate
ceilings. Now, in years of general reassessment, taxing jurisdictions that in the previous year
voluntarily levied rates under their tax rate ceilings must calculate their previous year’s tax
revenues for purposes of determining their tax rate ceiling as though the voluntarily reduced
levies were at the taxing jurisdiction’s Hancock Ceiling for the previous year. The result creates
a second “ceiling” that limits the revenue generated by the taxing jurisdiction’s current year levy
to the jurisdiction’s previous year’s revenue plus permitted inflationary increases, even if the
previous year’s levy rate was lower than the taxing jurisdiction’s tax rate ceiling. Furthermore,
taxing jurisdictions with levies lower than their tax rate ceiling are now also limited as to when
and how they may increase their tax rate levies without voter approval.
OMG!!! Have you read the Truth Spot's spin on the MFPD's BOD screw up with their tax decrease? These people are true idiots. They don't realize governments are ruled by laws. They choose to blame anyone for their mistakes. The answer to fixing their problems is to have a volunteer fire department. When will these people ever learn? I am sure with all their screw ups, we will see more proof of their incompetency to govern, very soon! “WAY TO GO, Aaron!!!”
As citizens of the Mehlville Fire Protection District. It has come to our attention that the Mehlville Fire Protection Districts tax ceiling is now set to 16.3 cents per $100 of accessed value for 2010. It seems that will not be enough revenue for the district to pay for the wrongful termination law suits placed on the board of directors, not to mention run the fire district itself. Although we find it laughable, an incompetent board and fire chief will not be tolerated at the fire district! We recommend the state of Missouri replace these idiots with less arrogant and emotional leaders. Maybe, Aaron, Bonnie and Eddie can be elected to another fire district in St. Louis County. We wish them luck!
Mike-
After reading the call's article related to the new tax rate of 16 cents per $100 assessed, I find it laughable that the BOD feels that the MFPD is above laws of the State of Missouri. SB 711 clearly states that if the current tax rate of the last year's assessment is below its current ceiling that that rate becomes the new ceiling. The BOD got greedy. They had the power to charge what they wanted within the $1.052 that they were allotted. Regardless of what the approved version of Prop I/II said they still passed an additional tax decrease after SB 711 had been enacted. So they must abide by State law. It is their fault that they did not keep up on Missouri's taxation laws that apply to the MFPD. Although I feel the 16 cents is the end for the MFPD, I feel the the State auditor needs to enforce state law and the decrease approved by the tax payers, it is essential to teach the BOD and their cronies a lesson. It is not the fault of the employees, they show up to work and serve the community, whereas the BOD shows up and destroys it. I am glad to see that the citizens of the MFPD finally understand that an uneducated vindictive board can drive their district into the ground, and be completely unapologetic for it and have no regard for the safety and welfare of its residents. I want to thank the State of Missouri for stepping up and showing Hilmer and the BOD, that they are not above the laws prescribed by the state. I hope that one day the MFPD will once again have the safety of the public at heart, and not that of weakening its foundation with unnecessary tax reductions, that provide little savings, with major cuts to resources.
Best Regards,
Just A. Citizen
were there any fit for duty test before the BOD came to a final Decision and if there were, were all employees made aware of the test and was it administerd in a proper way. Physicals obtained, health records reviewd, were any fire man able to use personal support euip, ie knee braces elbo braces any warm up are who was the doctor that cleared this test for these individuals.
Citizen here as well. I am shocked at this and how it all happenned. You should be run out of town Hilmer, Stegman, Ryan and Stonebreaker! If this would happen in the school district you would have been. But the fire department takes a back seat as usual! The fire department in south county was a treasure. Now it is going to be gone! Who is gonna step up now!
In case anyone is interested, here is a link to a document from an attorney (who must be much better than Matthew Hoffman) who describes the new taxing legislation. The document has links in it to the actual Senate bill. If you wanted to, the new bill allows for a citizen who feels that a taxing authority in their district is not complying with the new law, that person may file a class action suit with the local prosecuting attorney. They must respond within 10 days to this complaint or it results in a broad class action suit including all area taxpayers. Fun times!
Here is the link:
http://www.municipalfirm.com/documents/Report2009-1-ChangesToPropertyTaxProvisions_001.pdf
Just in case anyone is curious about the financial impact of this mistake.
2008 end of year revenues: $18,760,914
2008 End of year expenses: $18,229,925
If you figure that 16.3 cents is a 70% reduction from the 56.3 cents of before, and apply that 70% reduction to revenues, then the new revenues will be $5,628,275 or roughly $13 million less. With a fund balance of $25 million, that tax rate will bankrupt the district in less than 2 years.
And it will require a VOTER APPROVED tax rate increase. How is that going to be explained?
Anyone want to fill out a speaker's card to ask the questions at the next BOD meeting?
And by the way, where are all the commenters who support Hilmer? Would love to hear what they have to say, so please, some of you need to post and try to explain this. And please use logic and refer to the actual law
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