From the Johnson County Daily Journal:
A local fire department was dealing with less tax income and looking for places to cut costs before deciding that $96 an hour was too much to pay a mechanic.
The White River Township Fire Department decided to hire part-time mechanics of its own in the hope of saving money on vehicle repairs and maintenance. But the department soon learned it had a new way to bring in money it needs while adjusting to declines in property tax revenue.
White River has cut its overall budget by 10 percent, paid off debt, reduced its property tax rate and launched new programs that bring in more fees. The department recently started repairing other department’s fire trucks, put two new ambulances on the roads and offered more CPR courses to churches and schools.
The department spent $532,000 last year to run two ambulances and has budgeted $85,000 to pay and equip three mechanics.
But the mechanics earned the department $97,000 in income last year, and the ambulances brought in $455,000 in bills and another $147,000 in grant dollars.
http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/local_story/Fire_department_sidelines_help_1334382834/
