Letter incorrectly reported hearing date
BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Letters mailed to property owners about the upcoming final vote on a countywide fire assessment fee have led to online anger and a petition to reject the fee.
County commissioners have grappled with the decision since founding a professional fire department, with most deciding last August to wait one more year before pulling the trigger. They wanted to allow time for further questions and discussion.
Despite the additional time, three public workshops were not well attended or viewed online. Those not keeping up with the news were surprised when the required notice showed up in their mailboxes, and they let their objections be known online. So much so that Bradford County Fire Rescue Chief Ben Carter posted a response to concerns and “misinformation.”
New hearing date
The county was also responsible for some misinformation, inadvertently mailing the letter drafted for last year’s hearing. So, the September hearing date property owners received conflicted with the previously advertised date.
As a result, the county is advertising a new date and remailing property owners. The new date and time is Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 6:30 p.m. It will take place at the Gov. Charley E. Johns Conference Center.
Online response
Lester Jones posted that local leaders need to live within their and the county’s means. “If we can only afford three departments then work with three. If I can’t afford something I can’t just demand more money.”
A subsequent post from Aaron Coleman questioned a provision that would allow the fire assessment to be increased by up to 4% per year when necessary. “If we don’t even have enough growth in the county to stabilize the funding, then what does the 4% even go to? Raises? … Taxes in this county are crazy in my opinion for its size!”
Some other objections included the lack of transparency for how the projected $1.7 million in new revenue would be used. (The amount is approximately 50% of the fire department budget, which is also supported by property taxes.) In addition to higher costs facing everyone, posters were concerned about those with low or fixed incomes. (Households living at or below the poverty level could apply for an exemption, as could 100% disabled veterans.) Some saw inequality in how the assessment is distributed, e.g. $167 per household versus 11 cents per square foot for commercial properties. (The distribution is based on calls for service, with most calls coming from residences. The level of resources needed to fight various types of structure fires is also considered.) The exclusion of the city of Starke was also confusing to some. (Starke has its own fire department supported by its tax levy inside the city limits.)
Eddie Boatwright posted that if elected officials properly managed tax revenue, there would be enough to fund a fire department. “However, none of them are brave enough to make hard financial decisions that save taxpayers money! … Bradford County didn’t need to bail out the Fair Association or a new fire station when several sit empty or 30,000 for a parking lot or vote to fund every special interest group in the county.”
Some said voters should decide, but the county tried that before in 2001 when the public was asked to contribute a smaller amount to support volunteer firefighters. The fire assessment referendum was overwhelmingly rejected by voters.
Carter’s request
Not all responses were negative. Robin Gayle wrote, “I’m the opposite. I would rather pay and hope I have emergency service when I need it.” She pointed out that the fire department doesn’t just fight fires; they are often first on the scene for a medical emergency.
More posters came to the fire department’s defense following Chief Carter’s letter to clarify what was happening and why. He also defended the men and women who work for him.
“The goal of the fire assessment is simple: to ensure the continued delivery of effective, reliable fire and emergency services across Bradford County. Our community is growing, and with that growth comes the responsibility to maintain and improve public safety infrastructure that serves every resident, business and visitor, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Carter wrote before clarifying the county held multiple workshops to explain and justify the assessment. He provided a link to recordings of those workshops. (They can be viewed under live recordings on the county’s YouTube page, Bradford County Florida BOCC. There is also a link to the page at www.bradfordcountyfl.gov.)
“I understand that any new fee or change to public policy brings concern. But I also ask that we not allow this conversation to become one that disrespects the sacrifices made daily by the men and women of Bradford County Fire Rescue. Our team of professionals put themselves on the line every day … not for praise, but because we care deeply about the safety and wellbeing of the citizens we serve,” Carter wrote, saying no one should hesitate to reach out with questions.
“We aren’t critiquing the need for a fire department,” Melanie Evans replied. “We are needing an adjustment in the amount of money going out for the county. We are paying assessments now plus property taxes and higher taxes on everything else we buy. When is it going to end? We are already stretched as thin as possible. Quit hitting our pockets and find another way!”
