Costs for fire services in the town of Marcellus are up, but it’s not because of the fire department, Supervisor Dan Ross said.
Tax bills were recently issued by the town showing an increase in the fire services line. The cost for a contract with the Marcellus Volunteer Fire Department to protect the town did not increase, however.
Ross explains the increase is in debt costs — the town board acquired the fire station from the village in 2011, refinancing the debt on the building. The annual payments increased when the interest rates and bonds were reworked. Under the new bond terms, there’s a savings of $122,000 over the life of the loan, Ross said in a statement emailed Friday.
In the town, the total tax levy increased by $70,633 or 2.8 percent.
