The Maple Valley fire department is facing a shrinking budget and layoffs in 2010 like other government agencies across the state and nation due to the recession.

Interim Fire Chief Brad Doerflinger presented a budget for next year to the District 43 fire commissioners Nov. 3 calling for the layoff of one firefighter, one administrative assistant and leaving the facilities manager position unfilled after retirement in December.

The proposed budget also called for leaving the permanent chief position vacant and continuing with Doerflinger as interim chief.

Doerflinger said despite the layoff and cutting, the budget increased $112,000.

The direct cause of problems with the budget is the dramatic drop in the assessed value of property in the district.

“The cost of doing business is continuing to go up,” Doerflinger said.

The interim Chief said there are staff raises the district is contractually obligated to honor and the cost of medical coverage increased 11 percent.

Doerflinger said the district was fortunate because “last year (medical costs) increased 31 percent.”

One of the ways the district has dealt with the shrinking revenues and increased cost is to decrease the reserve fund percentage.

Previously the reserve fund was kept at 5 percent and the commission gave the nod to drop the reserve fund to 2.5 percent.

Doerflinger said the austere budget presented to the commission was an effort to deal with the more difficult problems facing the district in 2011.

“We will be fine in 2010,” Doerflinger said. “But 2011 could be a problem.”

Doerflinger said if the assessed value figures continue to drop, the district could be in financial trouble in the coming years.

A public budget hearing has been scheduled at 6 p.m. Nov. 19 at the District 43 commissioners meeting at Station 81, 22225 S.E. 231 St., Maple Valley.