BERLIN – A new emergency response fee is expected to help address financial challenges at the Berlin Fire Company.
In a work session Monday, Berlin Fire Company (BFC) representatives reviewed a new emergency response fee with elected officials. Council members weren’t aware of the fee until they were contacted by a concerned resident who’d been surprised to receive the charge.
“I wish you would have notified residents you were implementing this fee,” Councilman Jay Knerr said. “You could have easily done that in your annual solicitation.”
Mayor Zack Tyndall said Monday’s work session had been scheduled because the council wanted to hear from BFC leadership about the new emergency response fee being charged when the fire company responds to an incident. BFC President David Fitzgerald said the new charge—which can range from $250 to $1,000—was very similar to the EMS fee that’s been billed for several years.
“The fire and rescue billing is something we’ve talked about for three, four, five years,” he said.
Typical Maryland jurisdiction. Add a fee to an emergency service that’s already funded with existing taxes and nobody knows what it’s for.