Monarch Firefighter Pension Costs $1.73M Annually

Taxpayers will contribute $1.73 million into firefighters' pension fund, after approval in a unanimous vote by the three-member board of directors of Monarch Fire Protection District last Wednesday.

The Monarch district, headquartered in Chesterfield, also covers portions of , Ballwin, Creve Coeur, Clarkson Valley and Maryland Heights.

The $1.73 million was paid to DWS Sudder, according to the district documents projected on a screen at Wednesday's meeting. The board had a closed pension meeting prior to the regular meeting.

The district pays into the pension an average of $14,000 per person, board member Robin Harris said.

Apparently, the pension payment is the same as the prior year, because it is not an "assessment year" when resident real property taxes may fluctuate based on property values; that happens every two years.

In other business, Monarch board members approved payment of $106,000 for producing 59 checks. In a previous meeting, board president Kim Evans encouraged district staff to look into digital production of check stubs to save money. Payroll checks are produced every two weeks.

The district plans a new website, after about 10 years without a redesign. The board agreed to spend $3,250 with CMS Express.com on Chief Tom Vineyard's recommendation, after looking into several companies.

Assistant Fire Chief John Borgmann said the new website would be "very interactive." He said a team of Monarch employees would be updating the site, adding photos, and other items. Evans asked for information about community resources in emergencies to be added to the new site.

The website would be similar to one the same company designed for Sedona Fire District, in Arizona. Borgmann also said the designers suggested a new logo.