Page 9 - 08.11.2025 Council Packet

Reg. Session 07.28.25

Councilmember Knerr asked Mr. Fitzgerald how many people volunteer and are physically at the
firehouse on any given day. Mr. Fitzgerald informed him 6 or 7 but a total of 55 volunteers receive a
page when a call comes through. Councilmember Orris was curious how many of the 55 live within
town limits, and Mr. Fitzgerald was unsure. Vice President Burrell asked how many out of the 55
answered the call, and Mr. Fitzgerald stated it depended on the type of call, distance, and personal
obligations.

Mayor Tyndall questioned if career firefighters were taking lower-level calls, and Mr. Fitzgerald
explained career staff were pulled if BFC needed more firefighters to go out on the call and if BFC
was getting close to the six-minute limit. He noted that if the call was nothing substantial, the career
folks and EMS would return to the firehouse. Mr. Fitzgerald discussed how other municipalities
provide a credit to or waive property taxes to firefighters who live or move into town limits.
Councilmember Orris asked Mr. Fitzgerald to share that information and those numbers with him.

Mr. Fitzgerald presented the administrative and financial report that ranged from January 1, 2025, to
June 30, 2025, noting the total volunteer hours and the division of those hours between emergency
and non-emergency calls.

He also reviewed the revenue reports and ongoing expenses, including equipment replacement. Mr.
Fitzgerald discussed the new engine that would arrive in August and the rescue replacement truck
that would arrive in December. BFC would be working with a broker to advertise the sales of the
1988 engine and the 1999 rescue truck. The self-contained breathing apparatus, purchased with a
FEMA grant and BFC funds, was projected to be delivered in September. BFC’s updated capital
expense summary was provided to the Town in December 2024.

Next, Mr. Fitzgerald presented the Berlin Fire Department Emergency Medical Services Semi-Annual
Update. He discussed the emergency medical services data and findings that ranged from January 1,
2025, to June 30, 2025. As with the Fire report, the EMS report covered such information as the
number of in-town and out-of-town calls, busiest days and times of day, response times, and overall
response hours.

Mr. Fitzgerald discussed BFCEMS’s revenue and expense budget highlights. Revenue highlights
included EMS Invoicing Revenue and a donor-funded remodel of the bathroom area used primarily
by career EMS staff. The expense budget highlighted office and computer expenses were over by
$4,000 due to aged copy repairs and replacement and vehicle maintenance was over by $12.500.
Insurance premiums were $1,500 over budget. Salary expense due to vacancies as overtime
increased but the cost was offset by reduced benefit expenses. BFCEMS’s updated capital expense
summary was provided to the Town in December 2024.
8. Reports: Town Administrator’s Report, Departmental Reports (Strategic Plan: DS3; DS4)

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Ms. Bohlen noted the flagpole dedication on Monday, August 11 at 5 pm in Stephen Decatur Park.
She also discussed the multiple RFPs that are in the works. Councilmember Knerr told her a job well
done on the Development Impact & General Fees RFP.

Councilmember Green asked how things were going between the community and code enforcement
and if Town Hall had been receiving any calls from upset residents. Ms. Bohlen stated she had not
received any calls. So, she believed people either understood the communications they were

08.11.25 Council Packet Page 9 of 140