HOULTON, Maine — Should the town of Houlton charge residents for fire calls and accidents?
That was the question weighing on the minds of Houlton Town Council members Monday evening during their regular meeting.
As presented, the new rate schedule would charge a person’s insurance company on a per hour basis for such things as hazardous materials incidents, forest fires, structure fires and traffic accidents. Those fees included $300 per hour for use of the ladder truck; $250 per hour for the pumper; $200 for the tanker; $150 for rescue vehicle; $100 for brush truck; $100 for ambulance; and $75 for command vehicle.
The policy would also charge $300 for false alarms; $50 for ATV/snowmobile accidents; $5 for burn permits; and personnel costs of the average hourly cost, plus a 10 percent administrative fee.
Town Manager Butch Asselin explained the fee schedule was created because the council directed him to find ways to raise more revenue.
“A lot of agencies have a rate schedule for fires and car crashes,” Asselin explained.
Caribou and the North Lake Woods fire departments were two agencies that charge similar fees, Asselin said. He also noted that he spoke to a couple of insurance agencies that informed him that many policies covered accident costs for fire department responses.
“For example, if a crash involves the cleanup of anti-freeze or oil, that is something an insurance company will cover,” Asselin said.
However, he noted that if a person had not met the deductible on their auto or homeowners policy, the individual could be responsible for that amount. Some insurance companies stated they would not cover fees for structure fires.
Houlton Fire Chief Milton Cone said he had concerns with the proposed fee schedule as it pertained to structure fires because it had the potential to discourage people from reporting a fire.
“As a taxpayer, I do appreciate that we are looking at trying to generate revenue,” Cone said. “But as fire chief, who has spent over 30 years protecting the citizens of Houlton, I am very concerned about us charging fees, especially for structure fires.”
Cone said his reasons for this apprehension was that anything that might cause a resident to hesitate before calling the fire department was a serious concern.
“If someone tries to put the fire out themselves, it could cause injuries,” he explained. “Plus in our fire prevention we tell people if the smoke alarm goes off, they should get out of the house and call the fire department. This goes against what we have been preaching for fire prevention.”
Cone added the first five minutes of a fire set the tone for whether a dwelling can be saved or not. So if a person hesitates, chances are greater for a total loss.
Another issue is Houlton provides contract fire protection services to the communities of Amity, Cary, Ludlow, New Limerick and Hammond. If the town were to charge additional fees to the individual homeowner, or their insurance, those communities might reconsider contracting with Houlton, which could result in a loss of revenue.
The issue of charging for burn permits was hotly debated. Some councilors questioned if charging a fee for a permit would result in more illegal burning. The town issues about 800 burn permits on a yearly basis. Burn permits are available through the state of Maine website at a cost of $7. Burn permits are not required for individuals who have campfire, fire pits or outdoor fireplaces.
Councilors hesitated approving the policy as it was presented.
“We have been charged with trying to increase revenues, but I have a lot of concerns when this first came before us,” said Councilor Sue Tortello. “I wanted us to have a policy that was clearly understandable. I’m afraid we are not there. I don’t want anyone to think the fire department would not respond or have someone afraid of getting a bill they are not able to pay.
Cone said if structure fires were removed from the fee schedule, he would be more likely to support the policy.
During the public comments portion of the meeting, Misty Marino, president of the Southern Aroostook Minor Hockey Association, urged the council to reconsider its Oct. 14 decision not to grant a waiver for ice fees at the John Millar Civic Center. At that Oct. 14 meeting, the waiver requested failed by a vote of 1-3.
SAMHA had requested a reduced ice fee of $110 per hour, instead of the $130 rate the town charges. For the past two years, the council had granted the waiver for SAMHA. RSU 29 and the Woodstock Minor Hockey Association have traditionally paid the full fee for ice time.
Marino said SAMHA had determined that the fee of $110 was reasonable for ice time based on data from other arenas in a 60-mile radius. She stated many other arenas offer special rates for minor hockey programs.
According to Marino, Presque Isle charges a flat rate $110 per hour; Woodstock offers a minor hockey rate of $78.50 per hour and a peak time rate for adults of $157; Nackawic (near Fredericton, N.B.) has a minor hockey rate of $60.30, a residential youth rate of $85 and a peak time adult rate of $130; Hartland, N.B., has a minor hockey rate of $67 with a peak time rate of $107.
“So the average rate for minor hockey players from all those regions is $79 an hour,” Marino said. “The pattern here clearly is that most arenas offer their biggest customer a deeply discounted rate. We are not asking for that. We are asking for a fair, more reasonable rate.”
She explained SAMHA hopes to increase its numbers by offering a free program for those under 8 years of age.
“We really need to beef up our numbers to see this association last through the next four to five years,” she said. “If we can increase our numbers, that would increase our use of the arena.”
Marino asked councilors to bring the matter back to the table for further discussion, but her request was not granted at Monday’s meeting.
In other business, the council recognized Jerre Lynds for 41 years of service at the town’s public works department. Lynds recently announced his retirement. A large gathering of family, friends and co-workers attended the meeting to show their support.
“There are really no words to say after 41 years, other than ‘thank you,’” Cleary said. “We appreciate all the extra time you put in and the job you have done.”
“I want to thank the girls at the town office because I am a little bit lax on paperwork,” Lynds joked.
Resident Phil Bernaiche, who is a former town councilor, also had some kind words to say on Lynds’ behalf.
“I have known him a long time, and if you ever went in to the town garage, the one thing you saw was him working,” Bernaiche said. “It made me feel good, because I knew we were getting our money’s worth. He has always been a gentleman to me. It will be hard to (replace) his expertise.”
In other agenda items, the council:
• Welcomed Matt Quint as the newest member of the Houlton Police Department and Alicia Ledger as a reserve officer.
• Said good-bye to councilors Sue Tortello and Rob Hannigan, whose seats will be filled by new members following the Nov. 4 election.
• Granted an easement to Northern Maine Interconnection, LLC for a proposed northern Maine interconnection project to construct and operate an electrical transmission line.
• Approved a victualer’s license for Hannaford Brothers.
• Ratified the general government union contract, which includes a 6 percent cost of living adjustment over the next three years.
The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m.
