Staff Writer
LIMESTONE —Duty-related obligations kept Limestone Fire Chief Paul Durepo away from the Limestone Selectpeople meeting on Jan. 20 when it was suggested by Selectperson Mary Morin that one way to potentially reduce spending for the tight FY2011 budget would be to eliminate the 27 volunteer firefighter stipends at — give or take —$950 per firefighter which amounts to roughly $27,000 annually for all department volunteers. After viewing a recording of the meeting, Durepo plans on addressing many of his concerns at the next Selectperson’s meeting, which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 3.
According to Durepo, the stipend averages out to $.13 an hour for the volunteer firefighters.
“A lot of the firefighters are allowed to leave their place of employment to go on calls, and they do faithfully, but their pay stops while they’re away,” Durepo explained.
“These firefighters have also held fund-raisers and purchased equipment by themselves for the use of the town,” Chief Durepo said, adding that the enclosed trailer used by the fire department was purchased by the firefighters, the extrication tool was purchased through funds raised by the firefighters, and the Gator vehicle was purchased by the firefighters.
“I understand that we’re in a budget crunch,” he said.
Last year, the fire department turned 10 percent of the budget back over the town, according to Durepo.
He suggested that the town consider creating their own ambulance service, which he estimates would generate $350,000 for the town.
“Each year, I have brought in more money in grants to the town of Limestone than the amount that was allotted to the department in the budget, and I have done that consistently year after year,” Durepo said.
