Retirement Costs, Equipment Raise Fire Department's Budget

The Amherst Fire Department is forecasting an increase in their budget for the next fiscal year.

The department’s budget is expected to increase 4.46 percent in FY14, which includes 2.43 percent increase from mandatory expenses.

Amherst Fire Chief Mark Boynton said that retirement costs would be the largest increase in his budget presentation to the Amherst Board of Selectmen last week. This mandatory increase is expected to require an additional $6,528 in his budget.

Other mandatory increases include $1,010 for social security, $136 for Medicare and $560 for sick leave incentive.

Boynton’s budget also included funds for self contained breathing apparatus ($5,250) and computers ($1,766.) The fire chief is also preparing for higher costs for tire replacement.

“Our fleet is aging,” he said. “It is now eighteen years old and the repair costs just go up.”

He did make cuts in fire education and prevention, and said the only things left to cut are custodial services, equipment or training.