RFD to get one additional firefighter as council approves 2024 tax levy

Despite a “once in a generation” boost in state aid  to the City of Rhinelander coming in 2024, the Rhinelander Fire Department will add one, not three, new firefighters to the team next year.

In budget discussions, Fire Chief Brian Tonnancour requested three more firefighters (one for each of the three shifts that take place per day) but, ultimately, it was deemed “fiscally unfeasible” to add that many.

“As City staff worked to build the budget this year, our initial hope was to add three firefighters,” city administrator Patrick Reagan told the River News via email. “However, as staff worked through the budget process we ultimately determined that it wasn’t fiscally feasible to add more than one firefighter in 2024.”

Tonnancour echoed Reagan’s sentiments.

“Due to the City’s current budgetary constraints, we were unable to add the three positions requested,” he told the River News. “We were, however, able to add one extra firefighter. Every little bit helps but, unfortunately it is not enough. We will continue to look for ways to source funding for the other two positions.”

Tonnancour made the request for additional staff during a Sept. 27 budget discussion with the common council. The idea was to boost the total number of firefighters on staff without increasing the burden on taxpayers, he explained.

In a subsequent interview with the River News, Tonnancour explained that the passage of Wisconsin Act 12 earlier this year will result in the city receiving approximately $250,000 in state aid/shared revenue in 2024.

This money must be used for law enforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services and other public safety-related expenses.

At present, each of three shifts is staffed by six firefighters. However, according to Tonnancour’s calculations, due to vacation and sick time, 85 percent of the year one person is off-duty. This means, someone else is called in to work overtime (at a rate of time and a half) to ensure there are six people on each shift. 

At the same time, the number of calls the department must respond to has increased.

The average is seven calls a day, Tonnancour said, adding that the length of time that elapses during each call varies greatly.

“Since I’ve been here I’ve always said that I want to do everything we can, within our budgetary limitations, to be able to add to our service without going to a referendum,” he explained. “We’re not a rich community by any means. I don’t want to burden our taxpayers anymore. The increase in the shared revenue, the one penny out of five in the sales tax, is huge.”

In June, the state legislature passed a new shared revenue plan mandating that local communities receive one penny of the 5-cent sales tax charged per dollar.

As a result of this change, Rhinelander is set to receive a 27.6 increase in state aid in 2024. Aid will increase from $902,663 to $1,151.923, a difference of $249,260, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

“We lobbied for that increase in shared revenue and I believe that it’s part of my position is to find those different ways to create cost recovery for us to add people and to add to our services for our community,” Tonnancour added. “This is a once-in-a generation opportunity, probably, for us to add public safety.”

Though the department did not receive the three firefighters requested, the council did approve the purchase of new turnout gear for the firefighters at a cost of $58,310.75. The council also approved the purchase of new chairs and mattresses for the department. The cost of the chairs is listed as not more than $6,929.93 while the mattresses are listed at $3,304.00.

Following a public hearing on Nov. 13 that drew no comments from the public, the council voted unanimously to approve a tax levy of $6,172,353.

The tax rate is 11.35797, up from 11.25151 a year ago. Thus, the owner of a $100,000 home will pay $10.65 more in taxes, $1,135,80 as opposed to $1,125.15.

In other business, the council also heard the results of utility rate study conducted by Ehlers Inc. 

To view the presentation on the rate study, as well as the entire council meeting, visit www.hodagtv.com.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].