Members of the Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue Board of Commissioners may have paralyzed themselves when they could not come up with a member to fill the vacant seat of Joel Guzman.

Three people, Larry Becker, Cathy Kruse, and Kevin Shea each applied for the seat after the vacancy had been advertised and written about in area newspapers.

The seat has been empty for a couple of months now. The person who would have filled the seat would serve out the two years left of Guzman’s term.

The bord began its meeting on March 25 at the Veterans Park Community Center by listening to each applicant present his or her case for filling the seat. Commissioners questioned them and then a brief discussion was brought by the board with Chairman Jeff Berndt asking for nominations which would lead to a vote.

Two of the members, Berndt and David Adams nominated Becker to fill the seat while Julia Barrett and Ralph Hemingway nominated Cathy Kruse. The nominations brought the vote to a impasse. The four agreed with a unanimous vote to “table the vote indefinitely,” according to Berndt.

This means the four could have split votes over the next several months and if something important has to be voted upon, there would be an impasse which could cripple the decision making process of the board.

It was one of the largest crowds ever to attend a fire board meeting, some 30 plus people. The last large crowd followed the laying off of 37 firefighters last August.

A lengthy audit report was presented by Tuscan & Company, PA, certified public accountants and consultants of Fort Myers.

A bleak picture was presented to the board and staff because of the financial condition of the fire department.

Jeff Tuscan told the board and the chief and his staff that the department must raise money or cut its costs. He said that in three years if things do not change, the fire district will be out of money. He said that Lehigh needs new construction to increase income from ad valorem taxes because there are limits on how much homestead fees can increase.

Anyone who would like get a copy of the audit can contact the fire chief at his office on Milwaukee Blvd. The chief and the administrative staff work from Monday to Thursday and are closed on Fridays in an effort to save money on electricity.

Some months ago, the station was closed as far as providing fire engines and ambulances to that area of Lehigh, another move to save money.

Meantime, Chief Don Adams told the four members of the board that the SAFER grant granters had asked for answers to several questions of which he posed and board members cam up with answers.

Adams said several fire departments across the country have applied for SAFER grant monies, but that there are strings attached, such as rehiring firefighters would require that they stay at least two years.

With the dire economic conditions predicted by the auditing firm and by Kevin Shea, one of the applicants for the seat on the board, the fire department could become insolvent in two to three years if more revenue is not collected and if expenses are not cut in addition to those already cut by the chief.

Shea predicted property and home values in Lehigh to take another nose dive this year.

If the fire department were to become insolvent, members were told that the State of Florida would take it over and operate it. It would have complete authority to hire and fire and make changes, members were told.

The board has proposed a special assessment of up to $100 on each lot in Lehigh to help raise money.