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Fire assessment town hall set for Oct. 30

By Staff | Oct 22, 2014

John Wayne

Residents of Lehigh Acres will have one last chance to learn about the proposed fire assessment fee that will be on the ballot next Tuesday, Nov. 4, which is election day.

The board of commissioners voted months ago to do away with ad valorem taxes to fund the fire department and change to an assessment fee which is the same for all residential homes and proposals for vacant land charging fees according to size.

The fire department is having financial problems, brought on by the Great Recession, and it must find another way to fund itself and two ambulances in Lehigh. Commissioners have said that without the assessment fee which would become effective next year for the 2015-16 budget, the department would have to shut down two stations and lay off nearly half of the firefighters.

The exemptions that residents and businesses and places like churches enjoy now with the ad valorem tax will continue, commissioners said. If the measure passes, the board will vote to continue those exemptions at its next meeting at the end of November during a regularly scheduled meeting.

Lehigh Acres Fire Chief John Wayne and Commissioner Cathy Kruse will give the presentation, using Powerpoint, about the state of the Fire Control and Rescue District and the proposed fire fee assessment at the town hall type meeting on Oct. 30.

Cathy Kruse

The meeting will be held at the Eunique Event Planning Hall at 1140 Lee Blvd., Unit 105.

The event hall opened a year ago and can seat 150 people. To reach the Eunique Event Planning Hall, visitors can find it on Lee Blvd., heading west from Leeland Heights Blvd. Its owner, Megzie Russell-Hamilton said the hall is located in the fourth building on the right, past the Williams Ave. turnoff. It is Unit 105. She said the units at the site are different colors and there should be no problem to find the event planning hall. There is also ample free parking.

The forum will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. The public will be able to ask questions about the proposed fee which will be explained in full detail and the reason that the board of commissioners say they need the new billing fee to stay afloat financially. They will discuss residential, commercial, empty vacant land, and exemptions to the fee.

Chief John Wayne and Commissioner Cathy Kruse will put on the presentation and answer questions from the audience.

The question concerning the proposed assessment fee must be passed by the voters before it can be enacted next year. The referendum question is the last item on the ballot and voters will be asked “yes” or “No” to accept the assessment fee.

Chief Wayne says he hopes those in Lehigh Acres, property owners and residents, will come to get the facts about Lehigh’s emergency call volume, LAFD’s “all hazards” services, current tax revenues, future funding challenges and the methodology used for determining the fire fee assessment.

Wayne said the town hall meeting is part of an ongoing effort to inform citizens about their local fire and rescue services and the fire fee assessment voter referendum. By law, they are obligated to “inform” or “educate” the public about the new assessment fee on the ballot, but they may not ask you to vote for it, according to state statutes.

The fire district has sent out fliers to Lehigh residents explaining the assessment fee and the reasons that the board believes it is needed. Chief Wayne has personally met with residents who have come to the fire department for information. In addition, Wayne has spoken publically before local groups and organizations over the past several weeks.

Here are a few facts which will be addressed during the presentation, according to a public relations firm which is helping the fire department to get the word out so voters will understand what is on the ballot.

Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District will respond to about 10,500 calls for service by the end of this year.

LAFD is the largest fire district in Lee County, covering 143 square miles and protecting more than 90,000 residents.

It is the third busiest fire department in Lee County (after the City of Fort Myers and Cape Coral).

Incident responses have increased by more than 40 percent since 2008.

At the same time, tax revenues have decreased by 64 percent since 2008.

Tax revenues were more than $20 million in 2007-08 and are now less than $8 million.

It takes about $15 million to continue current operations and service levels.

The fire district employs 108 firefighters, with a minimum of 21 firefighters and trained EMS personnel on duty at all times, operating out of five stations.

The average response time is 7.37 minutes to get to a fire or emergency.

The fire fee assessment rates were calculated based on historical calls for service (analyzed for each property use, such as residential, commercial, vacant land, etc.).

A flat fee of $292 on residential properties will replace the ad valorem tax levy.

Churches, charitable organizations and totally disabled veterans who are currently exempt from property taxes will remain exempt from the fire fee assessment.

If the referendum fails to pass, some 54 firefighters will have to be laid off, two fire stations will be closed, ambulance transport services will be turned over to Lee County and response time is expected to double, and two fire engines, two brush trucks and one water tender will be taken out of service.

At the last regularly scheduled meting of the fire district held the last Tuesday night in September, Commissioner Cathy Kruse noted how important it is to have the same level of service provided to the community, which will not be possible unless the assessment fee is passed by the voters.

Chief John Wayne noted that information can also be obtained by going online to: www.getthefactslehigh.com.

The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District is the largest independent fire district in Lee County and is responsible for preserving life and property within a 143-square mile area.

The fire district was established in 1963 and has evolved into a highly sophisticated public safety rescue system providing such core services as fire suppression, emergency medical services, life safety management, training, and community emergency preparedness.

Fire assessment town hall set for Oct. 30

By Staff | Oct 22, 2014

John Wayne

Residents of Lehigh Acres will have one last chance to learn about the proposed fire assessment fee that will be on the ballot next Tuesday, Nov. 4, which is election day.

The board of commissioners voted months ago to do away with ad valorem taxes to fund the fire department and change to an assessment fee which is the same for all residential homes and proposals for vacant land charging fees according to size.

The fire department is having financial problems, brought on by the Great Recession, and it must find another way to fund itself and two ambulances in Lehigh. Commissioners have said that without the assessment fee which would become effective next year for the 2015-16 budget, the department would have to shut down two stations and lay off nearly half of the firefighters.

The exemptions that residents and businesses and places like churches enjoy now with the ad valorem tax will continue, commissioners said. If the measure passes, the board will vote to continue those exemptions at its next meeting at the end of November during a regularly scheduled meeting.

Lehigh Acres Fire Chief John Wayne and Commissioner Cathy Kruse will give the presentation, using Powerpoint, about the state of the Fire Control and Rescue District and the proposed fire fee assessment at the town hall type meeting on Oct. 30.

Cathy Kruse

The meeting will be held at the Eunique Event Planning Hall at 1140 Lee Blvd., Unit 105.

The event hall opened a year ago and can seat 150 people. To reach the Eunique Event Planning Hall, visitors can find it on Lee Blvd., heading west from Leeland Heights Blvd. Its owner, Megzie Russell-Hamilton said the hall is located in the fourth building on the right, past the Williams Ave. turnoff. It is Unit 105. She said the units at the site are different colors and there should be no problem to find the event planning hall. There is also ample free parking.

The forum will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. The public will be able to ask questions about the proposed fee which will be explained in full detail and the reason that the board of commissioners say they need the new billing fee to stay afloat financially. They will discuss residential, commercial, empty vacant land, and exemptions to the fee.

Chief John Wayne and Commissioner Cathy Kruse will put on the presentation and answer questions from the audience.

The question concerning the proposed assessment fee must be passed by the voters before it can be enacted next year. The referendum question is the last item on the ballot and voters will be asked “yes” or “No” to accept the assessment fee.

Chief Wayne says he hopes those in Lehigh Acres, property owners and residents, will come to get the facts about Lehigh’s emergency call volume, LAFD’s “all hazards” services, current tax revenues, future funding challenges and the methodology used for determining the fire fee assessment.

Wayne said the town hall meeting is part of an ongoing effort to inform citizens about their local fire and rescue services and the fire fee assessment voter referendum. By law, they are obligated to “inform” or “educate” the public about the new assessment fee on the ballot, but they may not ask you to vote for it, according to state statutes.

The fire district has sent out fliers to Lehigh residents explaining the assessment fee and the reasons that the board believes it is needed. Chief Wayne has personally met with residents who have come to the fire department for information. In addition, Wayne has spoken publically before local groups and organizations over the past several weeks.

Here are a few facts which will be addressed during the presentation, according to a public relations firm which is helping the fire department to get the word out so voters will understand what is on the ballot.

Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District will respond to about 10,500 calls for service by the end of this year.

LAFD is the largest fire district in Lee County, covering 143 square miles and protecting more than 90,000 residents.

It is the third busiest fire department in Lee County (after the City of Fort Myers and Cape Coral).

Incident responses have increased by more than 40 percent since 2008.

At the same time, tax revenues have decreased by 64 percent since 2008.

Tax revenues were more than $20 million in 2007-08 and are now less than $8 million.

It takes about $15 million to continue current operations and service levels.

The fire district employs 108 firefighters, with a minimum of 21 firefighters and trained EMS personnel on duty at all times, operating out of five stations.

The average response time is 7.37 minutes to get to a fire or emergency.

The fire fee assessment rates were calculated based on historical calls for service (analyzed for each property use, such as residential, commercial, vacant land, etc.).

A flat fee of $292 on residential properties will replace the ad valorem tax levy.

Churches, charitable organizations and totally disabled veterans who are currently exempt from property taxes will remain exempt from the fire fee assessment.

If the referendum fails to pass, some 54 firefighters will have to be laid off, two fire stations will be closed, ambulance transport services will be turned over to Lee County and response time is expected to double, and two fire engines, two brush trucks and one water tender will be taken out of service.

At the last regularly scheduled meting of the fire district held the last Tuesday night in September, Commissioner Cathy Kruse noted how important it is to have the same level of service provided to the community, which will not be possible unless the assessment fee is passed by the voters.

Chief John Wayne noted that information can also be obtained by going online to: www.getthefactslehigh.com.

The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District is the largest independent fire district in Lee County and is responsible for preserving life and property within a 143-square mile area.

The fire district was established in 1963 and has evolved into a highly sophisticated public safety rescue system providing such core services as fire suppression, emergency medical services, life safety management, training, and community emergency preparedness.