Baker commissioners reject increased funding for fire department

Baker commissioners reject increased funding for fire department

By MELISSA BURNSED

The Baker County Board of County Commissioners has been considering options for increasing or enacting new special assessment fees for three key departments. After two workshops and numerous hours of staff time spent calculating costs versus revenue streams, the board held a straw ballot vote Monday afternoon on how much support there was for the proposed increases.

County Fire Chief Richard Dolan addressed the board with a plea for support of a full time fire service.                                                   File photo

The commissioner’s vote was split three to two, with the majority in opposition to any increases for fire protection and a possible new assessment for emergency medical services (EMS). An increase for the Solid Waste Collection had earlier been removed from consideration, when commissioners found the department wasn’t being subsidized through the general fund and was sustaining itself with current assessment and rebates from New River Landfill.

None of the five board members were truly in favor of increasing rates but given the current economic crisis which is putting the squeeze on the county coffers as well as area residents, Commission Chairman Gordon Crews and Commissioner Alex Robinson cast the two votes in favor of the proposed changes.

Speaking in support of the increases Robinson said, "This isn’t going to be fun. Baker County isn’t the only one in this position since the governor and legislature have done what they have. It’s not popular, but fire has been shorted for the past several years. I have dedicated myself to not cutting any services in this years budget…This board needs to be thinking about the future…and we can’t continue to subsidize from the general fund."

The special assessments fees are authorized by local ordinances to help fund the services and the board must authorize them each year. They are billed and collected by right along with yearly property taxes. The present fire assessment rate is $27.50 for a single family home, while commercial structures are charged a varying amount based on their square footage. The proposed increases would have added from $5 to $25 yearly to the fire assessment.

Despite the special assessment funding, the fire department has drawn increasing subsidies from the general fund over the past five years. According to a chart compiled by county staff, that subsidy has increased from $37,162 in the 2002/03 budget to $143,897 this past year.

County Fire Chief Richard Dolan was allowed to address the board, after the straw vote was taken during the workshop that preceded the commissioners regularly scheduled meeting.

During his plea for support of a full time fire service, the chief detailed a critical lack of available manpower during the day. Of 42 certified trained volunteers, only 8 can respond between 7am and 7pm, to protect the county. Part of the chiefs’ problem in providing adequate coverage stems from firefighters having other full time jobs and the large amount of time required for volunteer training.

For the three commissioners who voted against increasing funding for the fire department, the lack of firefighters means one daytime volunteer firefighter in Mark Hartley’s district, two for Mike Griffis’s district and none for Julie Combs’ Sanderson district during the day.

"By your vote, you are telling me that is adequate. It is not…It is a critical situation…I don’t know what will happen," he said. "I have a duty to keep you informed…in my eyes this is not the right decision."

The chief didn’t hold back, when he said, "How much more can you cut out of the volunteer fire department. I am confused…The fire department hasn’t been focused on in 14 years."

Dolan assured the commissioners that the volunteers were going to continue doing the best job they could. "My people are dedicated, but I am scared…I hope you realize the predicament I am 

"We are at a deficit... I am not going to take more money out of general revenue. We have to find a way to stop the bleeding."       ...Commissioner Mike Griffis

in."

"I made an informal vote against the special assessment increase. That was not a vote against the fire department. It was against increasing the assessment at this time," said Commissioner Julie Combs.

Commissioner Griffis said, "We are at a deficit and trying to cover that. I am not going to take more money out of general revenue. We have to find a way to stop the bleeding."

He has met with local volunteers to hear their concerns. He also raised the issue with the Small Counties Coalition director during a recent trip to Tallahassee. Griffis, along with representatives of several other rural counties, plans on pushing the Florida legislature for some for of relief of the situation.

The commission and their staff will be pursuing alternative funding for the fire department through a Safer Grant, from the US Department of Homeland Security. According to information given to the commission, the grants for up to one million can be used for training, salaries and equipment for first responders like firefighters.

Commissioner Griffis summed up the situation, "We need a full time fire department in Baker County but we can’t afford it. It is a dilemma."