Public Safety
The largest category of expenses supported by the city is public safety, about 27% of expenditures (2021 audit). This category includes police, fire protection, and emergency medical services (EMS). Each is essentially independent of the others, and unique in its budgetary characteristics. Overall, police services are dominated by professional salaries, while fire and EMS are largely volunteer, but with substantial capital equipment needs.
Police
The police department is funded fully by the city. Its budget is dominated by salary and benefits, at about $300,000 annually. The nominal staffing plan is a chief, two full-time officers and another hired for the summer season. Operational costs are about $25,000, excluding depreciation of the police cruisers.
The department has two cruisers, of 2020 and 2018 vintages. Replacement of these vehicles does not seem to be in the budget, but assuming a purchase price between $60,000 and $80,000 each, and straight-line depreciation over 6 to 10 years, annual depreciation of the fleet is somewhere in the range of $12,000 to $26,000. There is a small savings fund for replacements that receives an annual private donation, and maybe the city should be setting some aside, as well.
Fire Protection
The Bayfield Volunteer Fire Department is supported by the city, the Town of Bayfield, and vigorous fundraising by its volunteer members. This has proven to be a robust relationship that is delivering reliable fire protection services to town and city residents. Relevant city ordinances are largely in Ch 60. The department has an active Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BayfieldFireDepartment), and a page on the city website (https://www.cityofbayfield.com/fire.html).
A full roster is 24 fire fighters, and they are fully staffed -- testament to the great volunteer ethic around here and the quality of the organization. The city handles all of the department's financial activities, so some digging is required to understand the costs actually borne by city taxpayers. For example, the Town of Bayfield's over $100,000 contribution appears in the budget as general revenue to the city, not obviously associated with the fire department.
City budgets reference two funds: the "Fire Dept Fund" is where the fundraising efforts of the department members are accumulated (typically $25,000 annually), and the "Fire Equipment Fund." This second fund is where the department is allowed to accumulate unspent portions of the annual allocations from the city and town. The department controls the use of these resources.
Salary (and associated fringe costs) are split evenly between city and town, totaling about $66,000 annually. This goes to modest stipends for the chief, secretary, treasurer, and hourly reimbursements to firefighters for time spent on duty. One member is reimbursed for performing regular fire inspections of public buildings, as specified by city ordinance and Wis. Statute §101.14.
Operational costs (e.g., utilities, fuel, repairs, training, insurance) is about $48,000 in 2023, also split evenly between city and town.
An odd-looking and significant expense in the fire department's budget is "hydrant rental," at over $97,000. This is a fee paid to the local water utility to reimburse it for the extra cost of sizing pipes and pumps (not just hydrants) to meet the large water demands of fire fighting. Here it is paid 75% by the city, and 25% by the town from general tax revenues, although in some municipalities it is collected through water bills. Wisconsin's Public Service Commission has information on it here: https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/ServiceType/Water/FireProtection.aspx.
Fire protection also involves a good bit of equipment -- in the department's case, two engines, a tanker truck, a brush fire truck, a rescue truck, a 4-seat tracked UTV, and a boat. These capital items are typically funded jointly by the city, town, and donations and grants organized by fire department members. A recent $80,000 grant awarded to the department funded dive rescue equipment and equipment cleaning and decontamination capabilities.
The loan for the newest engine was retired in 2022, ending annual debt service of $24,000. An urgent need being addressed in 2023 is refurbishing the tanker truck. This aging vehicle's tank springs leaks after most every fast trip over a rural road, and it's brakes are not adequate. Refurbishing it as needed could cost as much as $250,000. The city and town will likely borrow up to $150,000 and the department will contribute $100,000 from the two funds mentioned earlier.
Department funds (mentioned above) will also be used to do about $40,000 in needed maintenance to the building that houses the department and the emergency medical service.
My best shot at a graphic representation (capital values don't quite match because building maintenance project is in flux):
Emergeny Medical Services
The Bayfield Community Ambulance Service provides emergency medical services to city and town residents and visitors. It is currently staffed by 10 trained and certified EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and two drivers. Twice as many volunteers are needed. Last year (2022) set a new record for dispatches: 177.
Again the City and Town of Bayfield contribute equally, about $68,000 each. Additional revenue comes from insurance and Medicare, at about $50,000. The leadership has pursued and obtained grants for equipment, yielding over $160,000 in 2022.
Its two ambulances are housed in the same building as the fire department. The service annually sets aside $10,000 for their next replacement, which has avoided the need to borrow for the last few units. The next replacement (a few years out) will cost over $200,000.
The EMTs are paid a very modest stipend for their on-call hours, and for each emergency response. There are shift incentives for peak summer hours. Small annual stipends are paid to a few folks who take on administrative duties.
We are very fortunate to have such a high-quality EMS program, in light of the challenges facing much of rural Wisconsin. But it is being strained by the double whammy our aging population brings: a smaller pool of volunteers, and more demand for medical assistance.