Fire Service Steering Committee Minutes 02/05/1992 Florida League of Cities, Inc.
President ,e /YJJ- 201 West Park Avenue
lye Gibbs Martin Post Office Box t 757
Plant City _/�J_ Tallahassee. FL 32302-1757
' . st Vice President Telephone (904) 222.9584
a n A. Evers SJnCom 278533'
r. BradentonFAX (9041 222 380E
�FIARIDu�LPACt1E OF CITIES
.-i and Vice President =_=__—_ _ —— ___=
Lieberman
yor, Lauderhill - — — -
February 5, 1992 t
Honorable C. Fred Jones
Chairman, House Committee on Community Affairs
218 House Office Building
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Dear Chairman Jones:
As you have requested of all parties interested in the proposed
bill in your committee relating to fire control districts, we
suggest that the following language in concept be incorporated into
PCB CA 92 - 02 . Be believe that these provisions would implement
the transfer of special fire control district functions to
municipal governments in those cases where such a district is
within the boundaries of a municipality.
First, we suggest the addition of language similar to Section
125. 01 (q) 1. , which would allow cities to establish, and
subsequently merge or abolish, municipal service benefit units for
any part or all of the area within the municipal boundaries for the
purpose of providing fire services. This ability would not be
solely for the specific purpose of retiring the debt of the
transferred special district, but for the provision of fire service
beyond that point as well.
The assessment levied by the municipality would be proportionate to
the cost incurred by the transfer of the district, so that all the
citizens within the municipality would not be paying for the
transfer cost, unless the district was city-wide.
In the case of a fire control special district whose area spans a
city and a county, we would propose that the area of the special
district be "split" respectively between those general purpose
governments which the special district covers. For example, the
•
At-Large:Alexander Penelas,Commissioner Metro.Daoe County•Gerald F Thompson.Commissioner.Browaro County• Barbara Sheen Todd.Comr^ss c-er
Pinellas County• Congressional Districts. Robert F. Barnard. Commissioner Plnar'a City• Glenel Bowden Councilman. Lake C,ty • Glenn Edwards.
Commissioner Atiarrc Beach• George E.Musson, Mayo' New Smyrna Bvr..n• John H.Land,Mayor Aoopka• William Copeland,Counc,Ta- A • Joe
Greco,Council Charman.Tampa • Holland G.Mangum.Mayor Seminole•William C.Menwether, Mayor Pro Tern.Plant City•Don Olmstead,mayor Zai"yr•C
• Larry L.Schultz,Councilman.Rockledge• Clarence Anthony,Mayor Si„tr Bak• Joseph M.Mazurktewicz,Mayor.Cape Coral• Charles Helm. .i-
Palm Springs• Dan Pearl.Mayor Sunrise• John M. Bertino.Commiss-Quer Dana• John Kurzman,Vice Mayor Now,Miami Beat"• Joseph J.Gardner
Councilman.Bay Haroor Islands• Roy S.Shiver.Commissioner Fionoa C'y • 10 Largest Cities:E.Denise Lee,Counalperson Jacksonviiie• J L. Plummer
Jr.,Commissioner.Miami• Sandy W.Freedman,Mayor.Tampa• David J.Fisher.Mayor St Petersburg• Evelio Medina,Counci mar H,a'ear• Jim Naugle.
Mayor. Fort Lauderoale• Mary Johnson,Commissioner Orlando• Dorothy Inman-Crews.Commissioner Tallahassee• Salvatore Oliveri,Mayor Ho y Nocc
• Rita J.Garvey,Mayor.Clearwater• Past Presidents: Eric B. Smith.Counc:i P•es.ee^t.Jacksonville• A. C. Littleton, Jr.,Ccmm.ssicner Panama C., •
FCCMA:Howard D.Tipton,City Manager Daytona Beacn • Tallahassee Office:Raymond C.Sittig,Executive Director• Harry Morrison,Jr..Genera,Cou-se
Honorable C. Fred Jones
February 5, 1992
Page Two
county would assume the fire service function for the area which is
within its boundaries and the city would do the same. This would
resolve any extra-territorial disputes between the city and county.
Because the funding would be available to effectuate the transfer
of the special district to the municipality, a local initiative or
local option would not be needed or required.
I look forward to working with you on this issue, and will , of
course, have the exact language of any amendment which you think
appropriate as soon as you require it.
Sincerely,
dCuLtre- 7/2e2A4,ekt(j
Carol Marchner
Director of Labor Relations
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ASSOCIAT1 fn a P.O. Box 549/Tallahassee, Florida 32302
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February 5, 1992
Representative C. Fred Jones, Chair
House Community Affairs Committee
Room 217 House Office Building
Re: PCB CA 92-03 - Fire Control Districts
Dear Representative Jones:
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your committee's proposal regarding independent
fire control districts which have been created by special act. The Florida Association of
Counties is concerned about the administrative responsibilities and the financial obligations these
proposals would create for Florida's counties.
The following is a summary of some of the major concerns these propsals have raised:
Funding- The methods available to counties to finance fire control service will directly impact
the statutory millage cap under which counties must operate and will make fire control a general
revenue issue by creating one or more dependent fire control districts. The millage levied by
dependent special districts is aggregated to the millage levied by the county. Several of the
counties which will be affected by these proposals do not have the millage potential to fund the
current Ievel of lire control service being provided by the independent districts. For example
in Manatee County, shifting the level of fire control service would equate to an increase of 1.5
mills in the unincorporated area. Manatee County is currently levying 6.3 mills.
Debt- Counties are legitimately concerned about their ability to absorb the transfer of outstanding
liability or debt currently held by fire control districts. For example in one county, the
independent fire control districts have a total of $2.5 million in debt. Counties question the
requirement to absorb obligations which the Board of County Commissioners has not created.
Counties further question the availability of suitable financing mechanisms to retire such
obligations.
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One funding alternative that would not effect a county's millage cap would be to utilize a
municipal service benefit unit. However, this method requires significant administrative
responsibilities. Before an MSBU can be implemented an expensive and time consuming benefit
study is required by law. According to a consultant in the business of conducting these studies,
the minimum charge for conducting an assessment study ranges from $15-20 thousand in an
average size county, which has an average database available.
Administration- In addition to financing issues, counties must consider the administrative
difficulties and uncertainties accompanying these proposed transfers. Counties may be forced
to reconsider the current level of service being provided. The result may mean counties will
experience an increase in administrative duties and cost, while taxpayers may receive a reduction
in service. Counties are also concerned with the issues surrounding the transfer of property,
coordination of service; equipment replacement; and training and certification.
Additionally, counties will be forced to bear the expense that will be incurred due to the
increased number of county employees participating in the Florida Retirement System. Counties
will have to absorb the salaries and benefits of these additional "special risk" employees. Our
initial poll indicates that a high percentage of firefighters employed by independent fire control
districts do not participate in the Florida Retirement Systems. Questions of portability and
unfunded pension liability remain.
Finally, the majority of fire control employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Many of the counties potentially affected by this.proposal do not have collective bargaining
responsibilities for any of their employees. The new responsibility would necessarily bring with
it increased administrative and legal costs.
Recommendation
I
Although the Florida Association of Counties does not support PCB 92-42 in general, FAC does
have some recommendations that would improve the bill:
- Allow for the creation of one independent fire control district in each county. This
recommendation would reduce the number of independent districts, but continue to allow
counties an alternative for providing fire control service.
- The state should consider assisting counties affected by assuming responsibility of all past
liabilities of the affected fire control districts which counties would not be able to fund and to
hold the county harmless for any debts or liabilities which are not disclosed during the initial
transfer period.
-Extend the time frame for implementation of the transfer of these responsibilities and
obligations. This would allow counties to make the necessary administrative and budgetary
• adjustments in a more cost effective and efficient manner.
-Ensure that counties will have the opportunity to determine which financing option is best for
FEB 05 '92 :2:02 FLA ASSN OF CO P.2/2
their constituents.
-Provide that counties which wish to Continue utilizing the current finding scheme may adopt
the existing roll, rather than re-establishing a "new' roll under the county.
-Require that the tax collector and property appraiser in each county will cooperate to the fullest
extent in effecting the transfer of duties from the independent fire control district to the local
general purpose government.
•
-Provide that counties can opt to contribute to a non-FRS pension fund for firefighters currently
covered by a non-FRS pension system.
-Provide for a transition period in the collective bargaining process so that counties can apt to
consolidate the different employee contracts.
Obviously, this list is not exhaustive. It is, however, a good first step to making the Proposed
Committee Bill less objectionable. I look forward to meeting with you and your staff on
Wednesday afternoon to discuss this issue.
Sincerely,
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Alma Gonzal
Legislative Director
cc: Jennie Dietzel-Analyst, House Community Affairs
Ms. Carol Marchner, Florida League of Cities
Ms. Carl Roth, Esq., Special Districts Association