2 Percent Budget Increase Requested in Fire District 4

Three candidates are running for two open spots on the Fire District 4 Commission, hoping to earn three-year seats on the commission.

The four districts in Bridgewater Township will be holding their individual elections Saturday to choose commissioners and request approval for their district budgets.

The polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m.

Anthony Ranallo, Paul Orloff and Trent Delameter are running for two seats, with Ranallo and Orloff incumbents on the commission.

As for the budget, the district is requesting approval for an annual budget of $559,116, with $522,978 to be raised by taxation.

“It’s a 2 percent increase from last year’s budget,” said Allen Kurdyla, township councilman and commissioner with the district. “It’s primarily for operating costs, and it’s really a conservative budget.”

Kurdyla said there are no extra questions on the ballot, but there will be a referendum in the coming months for the purchase of a new truck and engine.

“Part of the process we are going through now is trying to get some funding together to purchase a new truck and new engine,” he said. “We don’t have the numbers together yet so we are not putting it on the ballot.”

Instead, once the district has put together the appropriate information and figures, there will be a special referendum to get voter approval to make the purchase, Kurdyla said.

“The way we’re planning it is it’s going to be neutral to the budget,” he said. “We are not going to look for additional funds than what we have in the operating budget already.”

“We want to get the numbers squared away and get out to the voters that this is the amount we are looking for and this is how we are funding it,” he added. “That will be separate from the budget.”

The polling location for district 4 will be at the Finderne Fire House on East Main Street.