The Town of Havana is asking commissioners for more funding for its volunteer fire department

The Town of Havana is asking for more funding to not only sustain, but grow its volunteer fire department.

Councilman Matthew Wesolowski and other officials met with Gadsden County Commissioners on Tuesday. He said the department has been working outside the city limits and as a result, should receive a larger cut in the county’s budget.

“86% of our calls happen in the county,” said Wesolowski. “We’re a small town. It’s a volunteer fire department and we have been subsidizing basically, a big portion of the budget.”

Each year, Gadsden County spends roughly $40,000 towards maintaining Havana’s only fire department. That, and what the town generates in taxes, puts the department’s budget just below $90,000.

“I still want to be fair across the board when it relates to stabilizing, growth, and demand,” Commissioner Chairman Ronterious Green said.

The Town of Havana wants commissioners to either double that number or simply “lower their expectations” for unpaid workers.