The City of Covington addresses citizens in this letter on behalf of the Covington Fire Department:
Dear Citizens of Covington,
On Oct. 19, you will have the opportunity to vote on the renewal of a millage the funds the Covington Fire Department.
First approved in 1994 and renewed in 2004, this 10-mill property tax provides $1.1 million for fire protection, and covers 61 percent of the Fire Department’s annual budget needs. The remainder of costs for fire protection are taken from the City’s General Fund and from other revenue sources. The proposition is not for a new millage, but is an extension of the one you have already approved before.
The Covington Fire Department serves residents, businesses and visitors in a 10-square-mile area – an area that includes 10 public and private schools, the Justice Center, Parish Jail, St. Tammany Parish Hospital, hundreds of businesses and thousands of homes. Responding to more than 1,500 calls a year, the CFD’s average response time is less than 3 1/2 minutes – far below the national average of 8 minutes. Despite its limited budget and heavy demand for services, the CFD maintains a Public Protection Classification of 3 – on a scale in which a lower score is better. In fact, CFD has one of the best ratings of the 13 firefighter agencies in St. Tammany Parish.
In addition to responding to fires, medical calls and traffic accidents, CFD is proactive, performing more than 1,900 safety inspections each year and writing pre-fire emergency plans for businesses and residents.
Please know that the City is making every effort to make voters aware because we know you will want to have a voice. It’s obvious that if the millage is not renewed, the Fire Department will experience significant cuts. If it is renewed, fire department funding will remain in place with no additional taxes.
If you have any questions, feel free to call City Hall at 985-892-1811, or reach out to one of us. And as always, your Fire Department welcomes visitors and is eager to perform safety inspections or other fire prevention programs for your home, business or organization.
Please be sure to vote on Saturday, October 19th.
Lee S. Alexius
City Council President
R.S. “Sam” O’Keefe
City Council Vice-President
