North Walton Fire Public Hearing
- Thread starter Danny Glidewell
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This is the position taken & presented to the BCC concerning North Walton Fire.
WCTA POSITION
The issues surrounding North Walton Fire Rescue extend well beyond the narrow question of whether oversight should be transferred from the BCC to the Sheriff’s Office. These issues warrant expert analysis and trade studies including:
1. Level of service desired by parties currently served by North Walton Fire Rescue.
2. Appropriate organizational structure to most cost effectively deliver the desired level of service.
3. Resources required to provide the level of service desired.
4. Source(s) of funding to provide resources adequate to deliver the level of service desired.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Walton County Taxpayers Association recommends the County engage a professional, experienced contractor with the qualifications and expertise required to:
1. Survey concerned parties via interviews and public workshops to define options for level of service desired and develop estimates of the annual cost of service options.
2. Develop a range of options for organizational structure and oversight to include at a minimum the current structure, transfer to the Sheriff’s Office, an Independent Fire District, and a return to a Volunteer service or Volunteer/Professional hybrid.
3. Prepare detailed cost estimates for service options and generate options for funding.
4. Analyze options and prepare a trade study to rank options based on Level of service (including response time) and annual cost of service option.
WCTA POSITION
The issues surrounding North Walton Fire Rescue extend well beyond the narrow question of whether oversight should be transferred from the BCC to the Sheriff’s Office. These issues warrant expert analysis and trade studies including:
1. Level of service desired by parties currently served by North Walton Fire Rescue.
2. Appropriate organizational structure to most cost effectively deliver the desired level of service.
3. Resources required to provide the level of service desired.
4. Source(s) of funding to provide resources adequate to deliver the level of service desired.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Walton County Taxpayers Association recommends the County engage a professional, experienced contractor with the qualifications and expertise required to:
1. Survey concerned parties via interviews and public workshops to define options for level of service desired and develop estimates of the annual cost of service options.
2. Develop a range of options for organizational structure and oversight to include at a minimum the current structure, transfer to the Sheriff’s Office, an Independent Fire District, and a return to a Volunteer service or Volunteer/Professional hybrid.
3. Prepare detailed cost estimates for service options and generate options for funding.
4. Analyze options and prepare a trade study to rank options based on Level of service (including response time) and annual cost of service option.
I understand the position of the WCTA however, North Walton County deserves a level of PROFESSIONAL SERVICE that the BCC is simply unable to provide. They can't do their own jobs let alone manage fire services as proven with the County jail.
The position of the WCTA is that the residents of North Walton should determine the level of service they desire at a cost that they can support.
Unless the Sheriff has a "money tree" that he has not previously disclosed that can fund the people & equipment that the fire fighters say need, then a viable funding source must be identified.
Are you will to pay 500 % more - that's 385.00 per home rather than the $75 you pay today?
Unless the Sheriff has a "money tree" that he has not previously disclosed that can fund the people & equipment that the fire fighters say need, then a viable funding source must be identified.
Are you will to pay 500 % more - that's 385.00 per home rather than the $75 you pay today?
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Viable funding source...well, lets see, perhaps if the County stopped getting sued costing the taxpayers millions, they could actually afford to do something for the taxpayers. I realize there is no profit in that as there has been for them with developers, but its a thought.
To be fair Bob, I am more than willing to pay that. Unfortunately I thought the Sheriff said this wasn't about money and the Commissioners gave every indication in the past that increasing the fire fee wasn't an option. I also believe you made the statement in a Commission meeting that this was certainly about money. I have made it clear through my statements that more money is the only fix. But I do believe your analysis is correct, if the County continues the current budget and increases the fire fee it should get them close if I read it correctly. Basically $1.06 a day.
Famous last words - "Unfortunately I thought the Sheriff said this wasn't about money"
It's always about the $ with the sheriff. Just go ask about the new Major (I think he's the 5th or 6th one in two terms out of Tally).
He's $100k+ man.
We have a lot of our men and women up there that are far better suited for that job.
Why another State guy out of Tally?
Who is 100k man? The Sheriff?Famous last words - "Unfortunately I thought the Sheriff said this wasn't about money"
It's always about the $ with the sheriff. Just go ask about the new Major (I think he's the 5th or 6th one in two terms out of Tally).
He's $100k+ man.
We have a lot of our men and women up there that are far better suited for that job.
Why another State guy out of Tally?
Ok