Despite a plea and motion made by Sedona Fire District board member Liza Vernet on Wednesday, Dec. 16, the Chapel fire station will not be considered at this time.

Vernet’s motion did not receive a second from the board, and therefore the motion died.

A motion by board member Bert Berkshire to wait on projects, so there would be a better understanding of next year’s budget, passed 3-2 with Vernet and Chairman Ralph Graves in dissent. Graves attended the meeting telephonically.

Phyllis Erick, who lives in the Chapel area, said there is no reason to build the new station and

asked for this item to be shelved permanently.

She said there would be no common sense if the fire board decided to bring back this station. She added the money may be available, but there is no need to spend it on another station not needed to support the area.

She also asked about the six to seven employees hired for this station who kept their jobs even after it was decided to not build the station.

“No one wants people to lose their jobs, but reality is what it is,” she said.

Erick also mentioned the city’s financial plight and the cuts it is making.

She said if jobs need to be eliminated, the burden would be on the governing board.

Vernet said she put the item back on the agenda because she thinks the Chapel station is needed and important.

She said the money is already there because it is included in the fire district’s budget.

“We have money in our capital reserves that has to be used for the Chapel station,” she said.

SFD Business Director Karen Daines said the General Fund operations cost for the station is about $2 million, and there is another $2.8 million for capital reserves earmarked for the Chapel station.

Assistant Fire Chief Terry Keller said the need for the station building is still there and added if the board wants, all options would be considered.

“We can go back to the drawing board if that is the desire,” Keller said.

After Vernet’s motion died, board member Charles Christensen said he feels strongly it would not be wise to go ahead with projects like these, and mentioned funds for this station were set aside by taxpayers.

He said what the

board should look into is lowering the mill rate and returning some of these funds to taxpayers instead of spending them on a fire station.

He added it is not the time for the district to incur debt or be forced to hire additional personnel for a station some do not want.

Berkshire said he would prefer delaying decisions like this until the board knows what it faces in its upcoming budget cycle.

He said when the governing board sees the first cut of what the district wants, it will have a better idea of where to go.

“Right now we are flying blind,” he said.

Michael Maresh can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 125, or e-mail mmaresh@larsonnewspapers.com