BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
While Bradford County commissioners seem resolved to approve a new special assessment for firefighting services this year, the amount of the assessment hasn’t been decided.
To fully fund the fire department’s budget would have required an assessment of more than $300 per household, but the discussion has been set to fund 50% of the budget with a $167 annual fee per dwelling unit, 11 cents per square foot for nonresidential buildings and $47 for vacant nonagricultural parcels..
Commissioners are under pressure to finalize the fee amount for purposes of their budget, but also so participating municipalities can act to approve collection of the fee within their jurisdictions. Last year, Brooker, Hampton and Lawtey seemed prepared to cooperate, but the county commission held off for another year for further discussion.
The second fire assessment workshop held March 18 rehashed much of the information previously presented about station coverage, response times, fire insurance cost and the methodology behind distribution of the assessment among payers. Fire Chief Ben Carter shared his presentation again, saying any reduction in force or coverage would hamper response and raise property owners’ insurance costs.
For most residents, Carter said, the annual fire assessment could be broken down to the cost of four soft drinks per month in a local restaurant. He played a recent news broadcast about an arsonist whose brushfires threatened homes and the gratitude of a residents whose home was spared.
“I think the conversations of reducing services and cutting services to the public or closing stations, I think those conversations have to be put to bed. And I think that’s for the citizens in this in this county, but also for the people that are responding to these calls, the men and women that work for me, that serve incredibly well for this county. And again, I applaud each of you for taking a deep look into our operations, into our budget, into those type things, and you’re doing what you are elected to do as a county commissioner and take a deep dive into those things. But I’m confident in our response, I’m confident in our operation, and I’m confident in our budget as well,” Carter said.
As proposed, there are exemptions for religious, nonprofit and government-owned properties. Fully disabled veterans would be exempt as well, as would any household whose members who could show they were living at or below the poverty level. Vacant agricultural land is exempt by statute. Accessory structures such as barns and sheds are also not assessed.
There would be a grievance process for people who felt they were being unfairly assessed. Anyone with questions about their property can contact 904-966-6228 or fireassessment@ bradfordcountyfl.gov. Carter assured Commissioner Diane Andrews that they would take the time to answer questions and hear concerns, even visiting properties to help resolve issues.
Commission Chairman Danny Riddick told fellow board members they need to come to a consensus on the amount of the fire assessment, acknowledging representatives from Brooker and saying the municipalities need that information to make some decisions. They need to follow the same schedule to get the assessment on the tax rolls this year.
Andrews recommended 25% budget funding, which would make the residential fee $84 a year, 6 cents per square foot for nonresidential properties and $24 for vacant nonagricultural parcels.
“I know that it’s not going to cover what we need for the fire and rescue, but I think with us just starting this, that I would recommend the 25% be our starting point,” Andrews said.
Commissioner Carolyn Spooner said she was vacillating between 25% and 50% funding, saying she had heard from residents about approving a lower rate.
“I heard what my chief said about the cost of a burger and coke. Well, some folks, that’s still a luxury,” she said. Spooner was leaning toward the higher rate, however, because it might allow the board to reduce its property tax rate.
Chief Deputy Clerk Rachel Rhoden said that is the overall goal, but recommended not lowering property taxes during the first year of the assessment so they know for sure how much more revenue will be collected and can make an educated recommendation for lowering the tax rate.
Commissioner Chris Dougherty said they are pulling from the general fund to pay for firefighting services, and he had thought the consensus of the board was to start at 50% funding so they could begin rolling back the property tax rate sooner than later.
Riddick also agreed with 50% and while another workshop has been set prior to the public hearings, he said they need to inform the municipalities of their intention.
It was suggested the board advertise a higher assessment rate for the initial resolution. Every property owner would be mailed notice of a public hearing before adoption of the final resolution, and the board would have an opportunity to lower the rate based on the outcome of that hearing.
“One thing to keep in mind, if in future years you wanted to increase the assessment, you would have to notice every property owner again, unless you put some type of maximum rate on that notice that you mail to everyone. The downside of that is that when you send out notices with higher rates than you intend to adopt, it can scare people,” said Stantec consultant Jeff Rackley.
Rackley also suggested that the timeline the county has set for final adoption might be too tight given the need to notify all property owners by mail and the statutorily required waiting period between the public notices and public hearing. He said the final adoption hearing could be pushed back. An early vote on the first resolution setting the maximum rate early is a good idea to inform the municipalities.
Riddick confirmed that the consensus of the board was to set fees to cover 50% of the fire department budget, but Brooker Mayor Gene Melvin said he didn’t think his board would support more than 25%. He said he’s been discussing the assessment with people, particularly with those on fixed incomes.
“I don’t know if the board would agree on $167. That’s my personal opinion. I can’t speak for the rest of them, but after going through the county and going through the municipality out there in Brooker, these folks are hurting,” Melvin said.
According to the mayor, there are complaints when the town raises water rates by 50 cents or $1, and it’s been years since the town has raised taxes, adopting a rolled-back rate every year out of concern for the residents.
At the same time, Melvin said the people of Brooker are excited about building a fire department.
“They’re excited about a fire department there in Brooker and eventually get a rescue out there in Brooker. But as far as the $167, I don’t think right now it would fly out there in Brooker,” he said.
Brooker has and continues to pursue full funding from the state to build and equip a fire station since its tax base can’t support it. It is Bradford County, however, that will pay the recurring cost of staffing the station, and staffing the stations is the county’s primary need for the fire assessment revenue.
The final fire assessment workshop is set for May 6 at 10:30 a.m.
