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Boone County Fire Protection District to Offer Bond Question on April Ballot

The Boone County Fire Protection District board of directors has called for a NO TAX INCREASE bond election to be held during the general municipal election Tuesday, April 6, 2021. The following question will be posed to the voters on the April ballot:

Shall Boone County Fire Protection District, Boone County, Missouri, issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $6,000,000 for the purpose of acquiring real property; constructing, improving, renovating, repairing, furnishing and equipping new and existing fire stations and additions thereto; and acquiring fire trucks, vehicles and other firefighting and emergency apparatus, equipment and communication systems and technology?

Below you will find a frequently asked question and answers that will explain the needs of the fire district and the projects that will be funded by the NO TAX INCREASE bond funds.

What is the future plan for bond issues?

This bond issue is the first of five bond issues identified in the Fire District’s 10-year capital improvement plan. The intent of this 10-year plan is to ask our voters to approve aNO TAX INCREASE bond issue every two years to pay for fire truck replacements, fire and communications equipment upgrades and facility improvements and replacements. This 10-year plan is designed to provide apparatus, equipment and facilities based on a set schedule. This will keep our voters informed and also prevent them from future larger bond issues that would increase their taxes. Again, this bond is a NO TAX INCREASE bond and only a continuation of an existing 25-cent tax approved in 2014.

What is the amount of the proposed bond issue?

$6 million.

What is a bond issue?

A bond issue, as it applies to the fire district, places a question before the voters as a ballot measure, asking our voters to approve additional proposed spending for apparatus and facilities.

Will there be a property tax increase?

This bond issue is a NO TAX INCREASE bond issue. It is a continuation of the 2014 bond tax which was approved by the voters. The 10-year portion of the 2014 bond will be paid off early therefore allowing us to ask for a continuation of the same tax rate.

What will the money that the bond issue creates be used for?

There are three areas that this $6 million dollar bond issue will be used for. Replacement of 20+ year old apparatus, facility improvements, land acquisition and architectural design for replacement stations.

How will the bonds be paid for?

To pay off the $6 million bonds there will be a continuation (no tax increase) of the 25 cents per 100 dollars of assessed valuation on real property and personal property taxes that was approved by the voters in 2014.

How long will it take to pay this off?

This bond will be paid off in 6 years.

Will my taxes increase as a result of this bond issue?

Again this is a NO TAX INCREASE bond issue.

What will this bond be used for?

By law, bond issues can only provide funds for new construction, renovation of existing facilities, technology, purchase of apparatus and equipment.

Can the bond money be spent on personnel, salaries or benefits for employees?

No. State law only allows bond money to be spent on facilities, land, equipment and apparatus, not people.

How will the bond money be spent?

The $6 million will address service delivery capabilities and areas of need.
⦁ Apparatus needs equal $4,792,228 million. That will provide 5 new Fire Engines, 4 new Tankers and 5 new Brush Trucks.
⦁ Facility needs equal $1,207,772 million. This includes land acquisition and station design for 2 new stations in the future (Station 5 and Station 8) and 1 station addition.

When was the last bond issue passed for the fire district?

The last fire district bond issue was in 2014. That bond was for $14 million total. Of that total, $7 million was amortized over 10 years. That portion of the bond will actually be paid off early which is why we are asking for a continuation of the tax. Again, this is a NO TAX INCREASE bond issue.

Why is there a need for these items now?

We currently have apparatus in frontline service that exceeds their life expectancy of 10-20 years. We have frontline apparatus that were purchased in 1991 and 2000. The maintenance and repair costs continue to grow on an annual basis. Additionally, there are two fire stations that have outlived their usefulness. Both Station 5 in Prathersville and Station 8 on Route K are nearly 40 years old and need to be replaced.

What is the cost of a new fire truck “today” versus years past?


The price of fire apparatus has risen dramatically over the past 10 – 15 years. Technology advancements, national standards and regulations and the equipment capabilities have caused these increases.

How big is the Boone County Fire Protection District?

The fire district is the largest volunteer fire department in the State of Missouri and the third largest fire agency in the state. We cover 492 square miles of Boone County including nine different municipalities protecting over 50,000 citizens.

How many firefighters does the district have?

The fire district currently has 200 volunteer firefighters with 25 career support staff. Of those 25 positions, 8.25 are paid for through alternative funding sources (FEMA grants and cooperative agreements).

How many fire trucks does the district operate?

We currently have 15 frontline fire engines with 1 reserve engine; 10 tankers used to haul water with 1 reserve tanker; 13 smaller brush trucks used for grass fires and EMS first response; 10 specialty units which include 3 rescue squads, 1 hazardous materials response unit, 4 boats and 2 other support apparatus.

How much would a fully paid fire department this size cost?

To totally staff the Fire District with career staffing, the additional cost to the taxpayers is estimated at $33,566,446.00. The total annual volunteer savings is $28,137,446. Savings per volunteer is $73,519, savings per residence is $1,563 and the savings per capita is $562.75 per a study which was conducted in 2004 by the Public Safety and Environmental Protection Institute at St. Joseph’s University with the assistance of VFIS.

How many calls does the fire district respond to in a year?

In 2020: 3576 calls for service.

What types of calls does the fire district respond to?

In 2020:
1067 – Fire related
2509 – Rescue, Emergency Medical and Motor Vehicle Accidents
3576 – Total calls for service

How many hours do the volunteers put in?

In 2020: Nearly 250,000 volunteer hours. These hours include response, training, station standby, public education and prevention, investigations and continuing education.