Frequently Asked Questions About Prop. F

Prop. F is a zero-tax-rate-change bond proposal on the April 4 ballot. If approved by voters, it will provide funding to maintain our emergency services by replacing old and expensive to maintain fire trucks and updating aging equipment and facilities.

If Prop. F is approved by the community, the District will:

• Replace aging fire trucks.
• Update aging emergency medical and firefighting equipment and gear.
• Provide additional emergency medical, fire and rescue training equipment and opportunities.
• Update, repair and maintain the District’s four fire stations.

Our fire district’s equipment, firetrucks and facilities need updates.

• O’Fallon’s fire trucks are amongst the oldest in the area and the cost of maintaining these aging vehicles continues to rise.
  • Since 2020, firetruck maintenance costs have increased more than 70% to more than $220,00 a year.
• The life-saving equipment our firefighter/paramedics rely on, such as heart monitors, radios, hoses, and nozzles, are in need of replacement.
  • Some equipment has become so outdated that parts are no longer available for repair.
• With over two decades of use, our fire stations require constant maintenance and upkeep. Our immediate priorities include updates and repairs, including HVAC systems and pavement at Stations #3 and #5. Looking ahead, we must maintain a proactive approach to maintaining our buildings, which involves future updates to roofs, windows, pavement, HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems.

Prop. F provides a zero-tax-rate-change solution to meet these immediate needs and maintain our emergency services.

The District has developed a long-range facilities and equipment plan to meet the community’s fire, emergency medical and rescue needs and plan for the future. Projects include updating the fleet of emergency trucks and medical and communications equipment, enhancing training and maintenance and updating District facilities.

Since 2011 our population has grown by nearly 18%, and our service offerings have expanded to include paramedic-level emergency medical care. This has resulted in a 33% increase in emergency calls since 2011. Last year we responded to nearly 6,000 calls, compared to 4,500 in 2011.

This has put a strain on our emergency trucks, equipment, and stations. In addition to this growth, the needs of the community have changed. We have witnessed an increase in the need for emergency medical response, fire response, technical rescues, car accidents and more.

The current debt service levy fund rate is $0.061. Revenue from this fund is used to pay the principal and interest on the District’s outstanding bonds for capital improvements, including major building projects and equipment. If voters approve April 4, this rate will not change.

Prop. F would allow the District to issue $16 million in general obligation bonds to update aging equipment and facilities, and enhance training opportunities, to meet the emergency response needs of the community. Much like refinancing a home, the zero-tax-rate-change bond issue would allow the O'Fallon Fire Protection District to make these updates without changing the tax rate.

A bond issue is a way for the fire district to borrow money for major equipment purchases, complete major facility improvements, or construct new facilities, much like a home mortgage or home improvement loan, which must be repaid over a period of time. In this election, a fire district must get permission from 57% of its residents to borrow the money.

Due to the structuring of current and future debt, the district can issue $16 million in bonds without a change in the tax rate.

The district operates 21 emergency vehicles to serve the 67-square-mile fire protection district. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), front-line trucks should be replaced at least every 15 years and reserve trucks should not be older than 25 years old.

The district’s three reserve fire trucks, which are used nearly every day, are all approaching 25 years old, and its front-line trucks are 6 to 11 years old. The other vehicles in the fleet, including rescue trucks, brush trucks, a tanker truck and command and support pickup trucks and SUVs, are also aging, with nearly 75% being over ten years old, some dating back to the 1980s and 90s. Combined, these vehicles have responded to over 55,000 emergencies in the past decade and have logged nearly two million miles. The age of the vehicles combined with the sheer number of emergency responses they have responded to have resulted in increased maintenance costs.

The district's ladder truck, purchased in 2020, is not due for replacement.

The updated trucks will meet NFPA recommendations, be more energy-efficient, and safer for our community and first responders. Newer model trucks are more compact and easier to maneuver through neighborhoods. They are also easier to clean, improving the ability to remove carcinogens after fires and other emergency responses.

The District plans to transition the old front line trucks to the reserve fleet and sell the oldest trucks to a smaller fire department with a lower call volume.

In addition to the District’s trucks, other equipment — including hoses, nozzles, and radios — are due for replacement.

Our radios and other communications equipment that allow firefighters and paramedics to talk to each other in an emergency are over a decade old and need to be replaced. In addition, equipment such as fire hoses and nozzles are 20 years old, and parts are no longer available to do repairs.

While the District has a thorough maintenance and repair program, equipment and facilities wear out and need repair or replacement. Addressing these challenges now will save money in the long run and ensure that firefighters have the equipment, training and facilities required to keep our community safe.

Because of effective financial planning, the District can provide these updates without changing the current tax rate.

Firefighters are often exposed to high levels of carcinogens when responding to house fires, automobile accidents and other emergency responses. Studies have discovered that exposure to these dangerous carcinogens can be reduced by properly cleaning personal protective gear and other equipment.

The interior of the updated trucks will be easier to clean and decontaminate after emergency calls while also keeping dirty gear out of the passenger cabin.

The District has four full-time fire stations and an administration building. While the fire stations meet the community's needs, much like our homes, they require ongoing maintenance, including new roofs, HVAC systems and pavement. Most of our stations were built in the late 1990s and early 2000s, three were updated to house additional firefighters to meet service demand and NFPA standards five years ago.

The facility plan to be funded by Prop. F would allow for regular maintenance and updates to HVAC, plumbing and other systems to protect the investment we have made in these fire stations.

Prop. F would enable the District to enhance its training capabilities by providing funds for a virtual training room, additional training equipment, and increased training opportunities for paramedics, firefighters, and public education department staff.

No, Prop. F funding can only be used for capital improvements such as equipment purchases or updates to our facilities. These funds cannot be used for salaries or benefits for our employees.

Prop. F will appear on the April 4 ballot as follows. The format and language of the proposal are written as required by election law.

Shall the O'Fallon Fire Protection District issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of Sixteen Million Dollars ($16,000,000) for the purposes of acquiring, constructing, renovating, improving, furnishing and equipping fire stations and related facilities, acquiring any land necessary therefor, acquiring and equipping firefighting vehicles, support vehicles and other lifesaving equipment, apparatus and auxiliary equipment to meet current safety standards and improve emergency services, and refunding outstanding lease obligations?

Election Day is Tuesday, April 4. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

All registered voters in the O'Fallon Fire Protection District are eligible to vote in this election. A person may vote in any election who:

• Is a citizen of the United States and is at least 18 years old
• Has been a resident of Missouri and the fire district for at least 28 days before the election
• Has registered to vote by March 8, 2023
• Is not registered to vote in another jurisdiction

According to the Missouri Secretary of State (link to https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote), you are now required to show one of the forms of acceptable identification and sign the poll book to obtain your ballot:

• A nonexpired Missouri driver or non-driver license;
• A nonexpired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card;
• A nonexpired United States passport; or
• Another photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri which is either not expired or expired after the date of the most recent general election.

If you do not possess any of these forms of identification but are a registered voter, you may cast a provisional ballot. Your ballot will count if: (1) you return to your polling place on Election Day with a photo ID; or (2) the signature on your provisional ballot envelope is determined by your local election authority to match the signature on your voter registration record.

You can register to vote any time before March 8, 2023. Visit http://election.sccmo.org/election or call 636-949-7550.

You can cast an absentee ballot in person or via mail through the St. Charles County Election Authority. Visit https://www.sccmo.org/447/Absentee-Voting or call 636-949-7550.

Additional information is available through the Saint Charles County Election Authority. Visit http://election.sccmo.org/election or call 636-949-7550.

Your precinct number and polling location are shown on your voter notification card. Additional information is available through the Saint Charles County Election Authority. Visit http://election.sccmo.org/election or call 636-949-7550.