Dispatch Tax Levy- Mismanagement of funds!!
Did you know that currently the Western Cass Fire Protection District has TWO tax levies?
Yes! A levy for Dispatching expenses and a separate levy for General Revenue. The Western Cass Fire Protection District knowingly and purposefully collects 93% more funds from taxpayers than is actually needed.
Did you know that the taxpayer money collected for each levy is only supposed to be used for what the voters approved? This is mandated PER MO Statute RSMo 321.243.
The Revenue from the Dispatch tax levy is to be kept separate from the General levy either by using a separate bank account or in their financials.
| 2024 Western Cass Fire Revenue | 2023 Western Cass Revenue |
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The financial reports from the Western Cass Fire Protection District show the district is NOT separating out the levies so that there is an assurance that the revenue the taxpayers are paying for dispatching is ONLY being spent for dispatching related expenses.
On October 19, 2022- THEN Board Chair John Webb took action to cancel the Lee's Summit dispatching contract in exchange for a dispatching contract with the Cass County Sheriff's office. The Lee's Summit contract cost an estimated $20,000 per year. The voters approved the dispatching levy many years ago to pay for that contract. That was the reason the voters approved that tax levy.
The Cass County Sheriff's dispatching contract charges $1,500 for the first 125 calls and $12.00 per 911 call after that. The District averages 180 to 200 calls PER YEAR with more than 85% of the 911 calls are EMS. Belton responds to ALL of our districts EMS calls because we are in Belton's AMBULANCE District. This means even at 200 calls, this would add an additional $900 dispatching costs. PER the Cass County Sheriff's office, the Western Cass Fire Protection District only had 167 calls from January 1st, 2023 to Oct 31, 2023.
What is the District allowed to use the revenue from the Dispatch Levy for?
- Dispatching contract
- Radios
- Software subscriptions for call notifications
*** Basically, expenses SPECIFIC for dispatching ONLY
What did the District spend on Dispatching expenses in 2023?
Great question! The District's financials do not show where the money is going!!
- All 2023 Invoices from the Cass County Sheriff's office totaled $712.50.
- The December 20, 2023 Treasurer's Report by Director Mike Bigg only shows $533.08 in the "Communications" bucket.
The 2023 Revenue from the Dispatch Levy was $23,213. Where DID this money go?
The Revenue for the Dispatch levy in 2024 will be $25,839. Where will THIS money go?
Why didn't the Board of Directors remove the Dispatch tax levy when they set the tax levy last August since this tax is obviously not needed anymore? This money is being mixed with the General Revenue money.
The Board of Directors can't manage the taxpayer money they have now, how can they be trusted with more?