The Verde Valley Fire District Board of Directors adopted a budget as proposed by VVFD Chief Nazih Hazime for a total of $6,144,775 and no increase in overall property taxes for the fiscal year 2012-13 at a Budget Adoption Hearing on June 26.

At an April 24 meeting, Hazime presented the board with a preliminary budget that had three options regarding new hires, adjustments for the cost of living and tax levy reductions.

The board approved Option 1 from that meeting for the upcoming fiscal year.

Option 1 calls for hiring three more full-time firefighters, giving full-time firefighters a cost of living adjustment of 3.6 percent and reducing the overall tax levy.

The three additional full-time firefighters will reduce the amount of overtime paid by the district, and will prevent burnout, safety issues and injuries among staff.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, July 4, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.