Newly elected fire commissioner takes seat
MEL TOADVINE Swearing in fire board members is Richard Pringle, left, the Lehigh Acres Fire District’s attorney. In the middle is incumbent Linda Carter who was reelected and at right is Will Smith, who defeated Jackie Danis to take Seat 5 on the board.
A new member of the Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District was sworn into office along with an incumbent at the first meeting last Tuesday following the Nov. 4 election which saw Matt Smith defeat incumbent Commissioner Jackie Danis. Incumbent Linda Carter fought off a challenge by William Liedtke.
Fire District attorney Richard Pringle administered the oath of office at the very start of the meeting under the direction of the Commission President Larry Becker. At the end of the ceremony, Smith took his seat at the table.
After he was welcomed to the board, Commissioner Carter told the board she thought some type of “thank you” should be extended and recognition given to those on the board who leave office either by retiring or by being defeated in an election. Becker and others on the board agreed that recognizing the works of Danis would be a good idea and plans would be made to do something.
Chief John Wayne each month recognizes members of the fire department and ambulance transport squad for their birthdays and number of years served and when special recognition is due, they are invited to the meeting where photos are taken to mark the occasion. Carter said she thought the same type of thing should be done for outgoing commissioners.
The next order of business for the new fiscal year will be the election of a new board of commissioners now that Smith has been seated. The voting could take place at the next meeting.
Smith had run on a platform saying his purpose for running for public office was to keep taxes reasonably low by “tightening the belt” of the District, maintaining a balanced district budget and voting for policies that maintain a safe environment for the taxpayers of Lehigh Acres.
Chief Wayne said he thanked the people of Lehigh for approving the assessment fee during the Nov. 4 vote. The vote for the fee was 8,101 and the vote against was 7,709.
“Our thanks go out to Rep. Matt Caldwell, too, for last year guiding us and coming up with the legislation in Tallahassee that allowed our fire district to offer assessment fees as a way to operate the department.
“We can be a model to the rest of the state as we were the first and our people saw the need to keep a good fire department in operation,” he said. He said it was the most exciting thing he has experienced during his career with the fire dept.
According to attorney Pringle, the district will consider the adoption of a resolution electing to use the uniform method of collecting such assessments, authorized by Florida Statutes, at a public hearing at 5 p.m. Dec. 16 in the conference room at Station 104, at 3102 SW 16th St. and Sunshine B a year. He noted that even though the voters had approved the use of an assessment fee, the board must vote to accept the measure to make all things legal.
During the meeting, Commissioner Carter said she had received an email from a Lehigh landowner who lives in Westerville, Ohio, who complained that the assessment was not fair.
Penni L. Grover wrote and said she and her husband, Robert, own a vacant lot in Lehigh and they were unhappy that they and others with vacant land will be assessed $21 a year for parcels under 10 acres. She said that was about three times as much as the prior ad valorem tax.
She told Carter that the Lehigh Acres Lot Owners Association has asked its attorney to write a letter to each Lee County commissioner asking that $21 assessment on vacant land be reduced by 75 percent to $5.25 a year, “roughly the same amount as was required to be paid under the ad valorem tax.” The county commissioners have nothing to do with the fee and do not control it, nor do they collect it. That is done by the county appraiser.
“Under Florida law, a special assessment is valid only if it is fairly apportioned and provides a direct benefit to the land assessed. Vacant land does not require rescue services and a fire would only burn trees and clear land. The need to protect homes and businesses by putting out fires, perhaps set by arsonists on vacant land, is recognized as it could threaten buildings. However, most often, unimproved property does not benefit very much from fire services and should not bear much of the funding burdens,” she wrote
She called the apportionment of the budget to impose a $300 percent hike on the amount absentee owners of vacant parcels must pay as unfair and said that non-residents, like association members such as them, “we do not even qualify to vote.”
“We have no voice in the political process! This is just a political means of keeping taxes low for voting residents we sincerely want to voice our outrage and desire to see this overturned.”
No comment was made about the letter that was put into the official record of the meeting.
Chief Wayne, again as he has in the past, reminded commissioners and residents of Lehigh, that the assessment fee of $292 per home and the $21 fee for vacant land up to 10 acres, doesn’t go into effect until the next fiscal year which is 10 months from now.
For this just passed budget, 2014-2015, the department will continue to operate on collected ad valorem taxes. And while 47 firefighters are subject to layoff next spring when the federal SAFER grant expires, Wayne said the board could consider dipping into savings for their salaries.
“Some have left because of job security not knowing which way the vote would go. But overall, the morale of our firefighters and ambulance transport (EMS) people have taken a 180 degree turn (for the better),” he said.
He noted that the two fire stations that would have been shut down will remain open and the fire ambulance squad will remain in Lehigh.
“But we must realize that in eight to 10 months, there could be layoffs,” he said. He also noted that the department will strive to keep up its excellent response time in Lehigh, something that would have not been the case if the fire district had been forced to cut half of its force.
A brush truck overturned two weeks ago on its way to a brush fire in Lehigh prompting Commissioner Linda Carter to ask how much were the damages going to cost for repair. She was told that the amount was $23,000 and was covered by insurance. No injuries were reported in the mishap.
Chief Wayne announced the upcoming retirement of Mark Sparks who will be leaving on Dec. 14, after several years with the fire district.
Fire Marshall Ken Bennett asked the board to approve the proposed job description for an information technology support technician. The board gave its approval after hearing Bennett describe the duties and responsibilities of maintaining information technology (IT) projects in the fire district. The impact after the creation and filling of the position would be up to $61,760 (includes all costs such as salary, FICA, FRS, and insurance. The chief will hire the person to assume the new position and the board will be notified prior to the hiring process.
Assistant Chief of Administration and Fire Marshal Ken Bennett also asked the board for support in selecting a new contractor to provide professional computer and support services for the district and would work with the new IT technician. He said that the proposal from Republic Technologies Corp. should be selected so they can be brought in-house on Dec. 14.
The next meeting on Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. is a regular one; it is being held early because of the Christmas holidays. The fire board usually meets on the last Tuesday evening of the month and the public is invited to attend and participate.
Newly elected fire commissioner takes seat
MEL TOADVINE Swearing in fire board members is Richard Pringle, left, the Lehigh Acres Fire District’s attorney. In the middle is incumbent Linda Carter who was reelected and at right is Will Smith, who defeated Jackie Danis to take Seat 5 on the board.
A new member of the Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District was sworn into office along with an incumbent at the first meeting last Tuesday following the Nov. 4 election which saw Matt Smith defeat incumbent Commissioner Jackie Danis. Incumbent Linda Carter fought off a challenge by William Liedtke.
Fire District attorney Richard Pringle administered the oath of office at the very start of the meeting under the direction of the Commission President Larry Becker. At the end of the ceremony, Smith took his seat at the table.
After he was welcomed to the board, Commissioner Carter told the board she thought some type of “thank you” should be extended and recognition given to those on the board who leave office either by retiring or by being defeated in an election. Becker and others on the board agreed that recognizing the works of Danis would be a good idea and plans would be made to do something.
Chief John Wayne each month recognizes members of the fire department and ambulance transport squad for their birthdays and number of years served and when special recognition is due, they are invited to the meeting where photos are taken to mark the occasion. Carter said she thought the same type of thing should be done for outgoing commissioners.
The next order of business for the new fiscal year will be the election of a new board of commissioners now that Smith has been seated. The voting could take place at the next meeting.
Smith had run on a platform saying his purpose for running for public office was to keep taxes reasonably low by “tightening the belt” of the District, maintaining a balanced district budget and voting for policies that maintain a safe environment for the taxpayers of Lehigh Acres.
Chief Wayne said he thanked the people of Lehigh for approving the assessment fee during the Nov. 4 vote. The vote for the fee was 8,101 and the vote against was 7,709.
“Our thanks go out to Rep. Matt Caldwell, too, for last year guiding us and coming up with the legislation in Tallahassee that allowed our fire district to offer assessment fees as a way to operate the department.
“We can be a model to the rest of the state as we were the first and our people saw the need to keep a good fire department in operation,” he said. He said it was the most exciting thing he has experienced during his career with the fire dept.
According to attorney Pringle, the district will consider the adoption of a resolution electing to use the uniform method of collecting such assessments, authorized by Florida Statutes, at a public hearing at 5 p.m. Dec. 16 in the conference room at Station 104, at 3102 SW 16th St. and Sunshine B a year. He noted that even though the voters had approved the use of an assessment fee, the board must vote to accept the measure to make all things legal.
During the meeting, Commissioner Carter said she had received an email from a Lehigh landowner who lives in Westerville, Ohio, who complained that the assessment was not fair.
Penni L. Grover wrote and said she and her husband, Robert, own a vacant lot in Lehigh and they were unhappy that they and others with vacant land will be assessed $21 a year for parcels under 10 acres. She said that was about three times as much as the prior ad valorem tax.
She told Carter that the Lehigh Acres Lot Owners Association has asked its attorney to write a letter to each Lee County commissioner asking that $21 assessment on vacant land be reduced by 75 percent to $5.25 a year, “roughly the same amount as was required to be paid under the ad valorem tax.” The county commissioners have nothing to do with the fee and do not control it, nor do they collect it. That is done by the county appraiser.
“Under Florida law, a special assessment is valid only if it is fairly apportioned and provides a direct benefit to the land assessed. Vacant land does not require rescue services and a fire would only burn trees and clear land. The need to protect homes and businesses by putting out fires, perhaps set by arsonists on vacant land, is recognized as it could threaten buildings. However, most often, unimproved property does not benefit very much from fire services and should not bear much of the funding burdens,” she wrote
She called the apportionment of the budget to impose a $300 percent hike on the amount absentee owners of vacant parcels must pay as unfair and said that non-residents, like association members such as them, “we do not even qualify to vote.”
“We have no voice in the political process! This is just a political means of keeping taxes low for voting residents we sincerely want to voice our outrage and desire to see this overturned.”
No comment was made about the letter that was put into the official record of the meeting.
Chief Wayne, again as he has in the past, reminded commissioners and residents of Lehigh, that the assessment fee of $292 per home and the $21 fee for vacant land up to 10 acres, doesn’t go into effect until the next fiscal year which is 10 months from now.
For this just passed budget, 2014-2015, the department will continue to operate on collected ad valorem taxes. And while 47 firefighters are subject to layoff next spring when the federal SAFER grant expires, Wayne said the board could consider dipping into savings for their salaries.
“Some have left because of job security not knowing which way the vote would go. But overall, the morale of our firefighters and ambulance transport (EMS) people have taken a 180 degree turn (for the better),” he said.
He noted that the two fire stations that would have been shut down will remain open and the fire ambulance squad will remain in Lehigh.
“But we must realize that in eight to 10 months, there could be layoffs,” he said. He also noted that the department will strive to keep up its excellent response time in Lehigh, something that would have not been the case if the fire district had been forced to cut half of its force.
A brush truck overturned two weeks ago on its way to a brush fire in Lehigh prompting Commissioner Linda Carter to ask how much were the damages going to cost for repair. She was told that the amount was $23,000 and was covered by insurance. No injuries were reported in the mishap.
Chief Wayne announced the upcoming retirement of Mark Sparks who will be leaving on Dec. 14, after several years with the fire district.
Fire Marshall Ken Bennett asked the board to approve the proposed job description for an information technology support technician. The board gave its approval after hearing Bennett describe the duties and responsibilities of maintaining information technology (IT) projects in the fire district. The impact after the creation and filling of the position would be up to $61,760 (includes all costs such as salary, FICA, FRS, and insurance. The chief will hire the person to assume the new position and the board will be notified prior to the hiring process.
Assistant Chief of Administration and Fire Marshal Ken Bennett also asked the board for support in selecting a new contractor to provide professional computer and support services for the district and would work with the new IT technician. He said that the proposal from Republic Technologies Corp. should be selected so they can be brought in-house on Dec. 14.
The next meeting on Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. is a regular one; it is being held early because of the Christmas holidays. The fire board usually meets on the last Tuesday evening of the month and the public is invited to attend and participate.
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