East Lyme considers tax abatements to attract, retain volunteer firefighters, EMS workers
East Lyme — The Board of Selectmen is proposing a tax abatement program to attract and retain volunteer firefighters and EMS workers.
The board will hold a public hearing Wednesday at Town Hall on the proposed ordinance for eligible volunteers with the Flanders Fire Department or the Niantic Fire Department. The hearing will take place following a 7 p.m. town meeting.
The board then will consider adopting the ordinance at its meeting later that evening.
“I think this is the least we could do as town citizens to acknowledge and give them a tax credit for the hundreds of volunteer hours they put in for us,” First Selectman Mark Nickerson said. “It’s also going to be used as an incentive to attract volunteers and to retain the volunteers we have.”
He said the idea for the tax abatement program came out of conversations among the selectmen, Board of Finance and fire departments on how to increase volunteers by attracting new members and retaining the current ones.
The proposed ordinance lays out the proposed tax abatement program and eligibility requirements. According to the ordinance, town residents who are active volunteer state-certified firefighters, emergency medical technicians or emergency medical responders and respond to at least 15 percent of eligible calls within a 12-month time frame would be eligible for no more than a $1,000 reduction in their property taxes.
Nickerson estimates about 12 to 15 people currently would qualify. He said if that number were to double or triple, it would mean that many more people are volunteering for fire and EMS services, and every volunteer saves the town from hiring a paid member.
He said the town saves money with volunteers in the fire departments, which have both paid and volunteer members, and the proposed tax abatement program is a "a mere token of our appreciation" for the hundreds of hours they serve while volunteering and also completing training and continuing education programs.
Flanders Fire Department Chief William Rix said volunteering has been on a slow decline and the department always is looking for volunteers. The department recently sent out mailers and put up signs in town and on the firehouse as part of a recruitment campaign.
Rix said the decline is a nationwide problem, as rules and regulations to become certified are more stringent and, with the economy down, people are working two jobs and don't have time to volunteer.
"I think the incentive will help keep the people we have, attract new volunteers, and get people just shy of being active to put in the extra time and energy to help serve the town," he said.
The proposed ordinance is available on the town's website, www.eltownhall.com.
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