Linda Carter

Two vacancies are coming up on the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District’s board of commissioners.

The two incumbents wasted no time in announcing that they are running for reelection, despite the financial problems facing the fire department.

The department hopes that residents will vote for an assessment fee to support the operations rather than an ad valorem tax of 3 mills, which will not meet financial requirements.

The 3 mills is the legal top millage rate that taxpayers can be charged under the ad valorem present funding.

The two – Jackie Danis and Linda Carter – say they will be running to keep their seats on Nov. 4, on the same ballot that voters will be deciding on whether they favor an assessment fee for the operation of the department.

Jackie Danis

How that question about assessment fees will be worded on the ballot and by which means charges to property owners will be made is yet to be determined later this month by the board.

The date for such wording by the board of elections is July 7. Commissioners will make a final decision on June 24 when the meet at 5 p.m.

Last month, the board legally had to approve a resolution ordering and calling for an election of members for the board of commissioners to be held in the General Election on Nov. 4.

The board is composed of five members and the four-year terms that are open are Seats 2 and 5, now occupied by Carter and Danis, in that order.

Without any discussion or objection, the five-member board voted as expected to call for the election to fill the two seats.

Both Carter and Danis said they would run following the meeting.

“Run again? Sure I am,” said Carter. And Danis nodded and said she was a candidate for reelection, too.

Nobody else has announced publically any intentions to challenge the two members.

The other three members of the board are David Adams, Cindy Kruse, and Larry Becker, who is chairman of the board. Those seats they occupy will come up in two years in the 2016 general election.