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New fire fees go into effect in Springfield
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There will be no millage rate increase for Springfield property owners, after city council members approved a long-debated fire fees plan.


In a special called meeting Friday morning, council members adopted new fire fees, with residences paying $60 a year, commercial properties paying 2 cents per square foot with a minimum charge of $150 a year and tax-exempt properties being charged 3 cents per square foot, with a minimum of $150 a year.


The new slate of fees are projected to bring in $103,788.87, said City Manager Brett Bennett. The city’s portion of its fire department budget is $113,000, leaving a gap of $9,211.13 for the city to cover.


The difference, Bennett said, will be made up from the city’s reserves or from any potential surplus from the fiscal year 2013 budget. The millage rate has been set for the coming fiscal year, so Bennett did not anticipate any changes to it to make up for the fire fees shortfall.