Section GG
Section G
Executive Summary
Fire Service Consolidations
June 11, 2013
6t111201310.E.
Recommendation for the Board of county commissioDers to partlcipEte in fire consolidation
negotlations with East Naples 8nd Golden Gate Fire control &nd Rescue Districts to d€velop
appropriete and effectiv€ lines of communication and cooper8tion with EMS and to determine
the level of EMS involvement after consolidation and for the board to deslgnate a BCC
representatiye to participate on its behalf with the county Manager and aPpropriate staff and to
direct the County Mcnager to negotiate with Esst Naples and Golden Gate Fire Districts to
release lire plan review and inspection responsibilities to the Growth Management DiYision.
oBJECTIVE: To provide more efficient fire and medical services with fire consolidation that
resident voters demanded in 2010 and to engage EMS as part ofthe process'
GoNSIDERATIONS: Creating a medical based fire rescue u.ill generate geater efficiency in both
fire/medical and fire calls as 70 to 80 percent of fire calls are related to medical emergencies.
The East Naples and GoldeD Gate Firc Control and Rescue Districts have begun wolkiDg togethel on a
2014 fire consolidation plao, with NNFD responding to the Board of County Commissioners call for
action on tbis matter at the April 9, 2013 meeting, ald participating for a Potential futule mergel.
Florida statute 189.4042 (Special Districts: General Provisions) sets forth a timeline for fire
consolidation referendums and a consolidation plan would need to be comPleted by tle end of August
2013. Within five busioess days after the goveming bodies aPprove the resolution endorsing ttre
proposed joint merger plan, the goveming bodies must cause a copy ofthe proposedjoint mergel Plan
and set times and locations for one or more public heariugs in each district on the ploposed joint
merger plan. within 60 days ofthe final public hearing, the governing bodies of each comPoneDt
independent special districts may ameod the proposed joiot mergef, Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT: To be determined.
GROWTE MANAGEMENT IMPACT: Tbere is no Growth Management impact associated with
this Executive Summary.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This itern is leglly srfficient, and rcqrues a majority vote for Board action.
RECOMMENDATION: For the Board of County CommissioneE to Participate in fire consolidation
negotiations with East Naples and Golden Gate Fire Control aad Rescue Districts to develop
appropriate and effective lioes of communication and cooperation with EMS and to determine the
level of EMS involvement after consolidation and for the board to designate a BCC l?Iesentative to
participate on its behalf with the County Manager and appropriate staff aDd to dilect tle Counry
Maaager to negotiate with East Naples and Golden Gate Fire Districts to lelease fiIe Plan review and
inspection responsibilities to the Growth Management Division'
PREPARED BY: Commissioner Tom Herning
Packet Page -278-
EXECUTTVE ST]IVIMARY
6t11t2013 10.E.
COLLIER COUNTY
Boatd of County Commlssloners
Item Number: 10.10.E.
Item Summary: Recommendation for the Board of county commissioners to participate
in fire consolidation negotiations with East Naples and Golden Gate Fire Control and Rescue
Districts to develop appropriate and effective lines of communication and cooperation with
EMS and to determine the level of EMS involvement after consolidation and for the board to
designate a BCC representative to participate on its behalf with the county Manager and
appropriate staff and to direct the county Manager to neSotiate with East Naples and Golden
Gate Fire Districts to release fire plan review and inspection responsibilities to the Growth
Management Division. (Commissioner Henning)
MeetinB Date: 6l7l/2OL3
Prepared By
Name: SmithCamden
Title: Executive Aide to the BCC
6/412013 8:41:08 ANI
Submined by
Title: Executive Aide to lhe BCC
Name: SmithCamden
6/412013 8:41:10 ANI
Approved By
Name : SheffieldMichael
Title: Manager-Business Operations, CMO
D^ie.. 614/2013 I l:00:32 AM
Name: KlatzkowJeff
Title: County Attorney
Date: 614/2013 12:18:12 PM
Name: Pricelen
Title: Administrator, Administrative Services
Packet Page -279-
6t1112013 10.E.
Date: 6/412013 I :02:36 PM
Name:PryorCheryl
Title: Management/ Budget Analyst, Senior,Office of Manag
Datei 614/2013 1:29;25 PM
Name: KlatzkowJeff
Title: Counry Atbmey
Date: 6141201 3 3:40:02 PM
Name: SheffieldMichael
Title: Manager-Business Operations, CMO
Date: 614/201 3 4:52:20 PM
^*
Packet Page -280-
Proposed Agenda Changes
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
fune 11,2013
Add-Onjlem l0F: Discussion of correspondence betwecn North Naples Firc Control and
Rescue District, East Naples Firc Control and Rescue District and Goltlen Gate Fire Control and
Rescue llistrict regarding potential mcrgcr opportunities, (Commissioner Hiller)
Withdraw Item 16A9: Rccommendation to approve the development and exccution of Tcmporary-
Beach Restoration Easemeuts (TBRE) with beachfront properfy owners for the FYl3/14
Vanderbitt, Park Shore and Naples beach renourishmcnt program ard reaffirm the existing Board
of Coune Commissioners' policy that no renourishment will occur landward of the Erosion
Control Lirre (IiCL) on private propcrty without an cxecutetl Temporary Beach Restoration
Easement (TBRE), authorize the Chairwoman to execute Resolution for TBRE, and make a frnding
that this Project and expenditure promotes tourism. (Staffs request)
Continue Item 16Gl to the-June 25.2013 BCC Meetins: Recommendation to approve the
attnched Standard tr'orm Lease Agreement between Southern Illinois Custom Aerial, LLC and the
Coltier County Airport Authorify for improvctl property at the Immokalee Regional Airport.
(Airport Authority Staff Request)
Time Certain Items:
Item l4Al to be heard at 10:30 a,m., followecl by ltems 14A2, 1443, 14A4 and l4A5
6llLl70t18t47 AM
June 11,2013
COMMISSIONER TI,NNING: AYe.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Motion carries unanimously.
Item #10E
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSTONERS TO
PARTICIPATE IN FIRE CONSOLIDATION NEGOTIATIONS
WITH EAST NAPLES AND GOLDEN GATE FIRE CONTROL
AND RESCUE DISTRICTS TO DEVELOP APPROPRIATE AND
EFFECTIVE LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND
COOPERATION WITH EMS AND DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF
EMS INVOLVEMENT AFTER CONSOLIDATION AND BOARD
DESIGNATE A BCC REPRESENTATIVE TO PARTICIPATE ON
ITS BEHALF WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER AND
APPROPRIATE STAFF AND TO DIRECT THE COUNTY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE WITH EAST NAPLES AND
GOLDEN GATE FIRE DISTRICTS TO RELEASE FIRE PLAN
REVIEW AND INSPECTION RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE
GROWTH MANAGEMENT DIVISION - MOTION FOR
COMMISSIONER MNNING TO BE REPRESENTATIVE _
APPROVED; MOTION FOR COUNTY MANAGER TO WORK
WITH STAFF AND ALL FIRE DISTRICTS TO DEVELOP
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS - APPROVED
MR. OCHS: Item 108 is a recommendation for the Board of
County Commissioners to participate in fire consolidation negotiations
with East Naples and Golden Gate Fire Control and Rescue Districts
to develop appropriate and effective lines of communication in
cooperation with EMS and to determine the level of EMS involvement
aftei consolidation and for the board to designate a BCC
representative to participate on its behalf with the county manager and
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June l l, 2013
appropriate staff and to direct the county manager to negotiate with
fait Naples and Golden Gate Fire Districts to release fire-plan review
and inspection responsibilities to the glowth management division.
This item was brought forward by Commissioner Henning.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Commissioner Henning, before you
begin, can I ask if you would not mind bifurcating 10E into two items
so that they can be voted on separately, because they're really two
separate issues. One is, the -- you know, a representative to
participate in the fire consolidation negotiations, and the second being
u ncc."presentative and county manager to negotiate the release of
fire-plan review and inspection responsibilities to growth
management.
COMMISSIONER IIENNING: Yes, that's not a problem. Let
me start out with the first one.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: OkaY.
COMMISSIONER I{ENNING: That's East Naples and Golden
Gate Fire and Rescue.
The -- I've been in numerous communications with fire
commissioners from North Naples, East Naples, and Golden Gate, and
I believe that East Naples and Golden Gate is doing a very noble job
of trying to consolidate and provide a great service to the constituents.
And I would like for the Board of Commissioners, by
participating, to give it some recognition, because that's going to be on
the2014 ballot.
This has really -- I don't want to get anybody confused. I don't
want you to think that the county is negotiating for that consolidated
distriit to take over EMS, okay' The fire service, they provide the
same and similar services the county does under EMS.
The leadership in East Naples and Golden Gate, on this particular
issue, through the leadership of the chief, is doing a great job.
Furthermore, North Naples is participating in discussions, and the
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June 11,2013
two other boards have agreed to allow them to participate.
I think that's -- at the end of the day, by us getting involved,
again, it's going to give it some credibility, and I think maybe we can
corn" rp with some response times and -- for medical calls and so on
and so forth. And I know that Golden Gate wants to, in the future,
enhance their service that they provide.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Well, I've got two lights on;
Commissioner Nance and Commissioner Fiala would like to speak,
and we have public speakers. But I would like to recommend for the
board's participation that we have a representative for that as well, and
I personally would like to recommend you. Because of having been a
fire commissioner, you understand how these districts operate.
So I'd like to make a motion that we do participate through a
representative, that being you, but obviously you bring everything
back to us so, you know, we can, you know, participate in the
decision-making process to the extent we have any involvement,
which I'm not sure how much direct involvement we can have because
it's outside of our jurisdiction. But to be -- to have a seat at the table
does make a lot of sense. So I make a motion to recommend that you
be the person.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I'll second it.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Okay. Do we have speakers on that
portion, just on that portion of the discussion?
N/R. MILLER: I'm not sure. You have one registered speaker.
That's Orly Stolts.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Orly, would you like to speak now
on this issue? And then you can speak on the second half as well.
MR. STOLTS: Thank you, Commissioners. For the record, Orly
Stolts, fire chief of North Naples Fire District.
One of the things I wanted to do is just bring you up to speed on
where we are today.
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June 11,2013
Approximately six weeks ago, maybe two weeks ago, I believe it
was Commissioner Henning that made the motion to approach -- send
a letter to the North Naples Fire Commission for us to see if we
couldn't get into the consolidation talks with East Naples and Golden
Gate.
That letter did come to us from the chair. We talked it --
discussed it at a fire commission meeting, and they voted unanimously
to move forward with that particular letter to the two fire districts that
were talking about consolidation.
Just recently -- and I'm not sure whether you've had an
opportunity to see the letter -- we --
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: I forwarded it. It is on the agenda
today as Item 10F. And so, in effect, we're dealing with 108 and 10F
jointly. But I did forward the letter that you sent to the county with
respect to that, and it is in the agenda packet.
MR. STOLTS: And I believe it was either Friday or Monday I
forwarded you the -- yes, I forwarded all of you the response letter
from both districts back to our letter of our willingness to not interfere
with what they've got going on now but the ability to sit at the table
for the consolidation discussions.
The letters that we received back -- hopefully you've had an
opportunity to see those. But in one particular case Golden Gate said
that they felt that that would be something that they could entertain
with us having a liaison, I believe was the term that they used, sitting
in on the discussion.
The other letter from the East Naples Fire District basically said,
thanks, but no thanks. So I'm not sure -- Commissioner Henning, you
had stated that they both said that they'd be willing. That's not the
case, according to the leffers that we have received, unless you got a
different letter from them stating something different than that. So --
COMMISSIONER I{ENNING: It was just oral correspondence.
Page l7l
June 11,2013
MR. STOLTS: Okay. Well, I have forwarded you the written
correspondence from both districts letters.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: We have Kingman here. Would you
mind? We'll stop your clock, but can we just get some clarification?
MR. OCHS: Madam Chair?
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Chief?
MR. OCHS: Forgive me. But it seems like we're mixing the
next item with --
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: We are.
MR. OCHS: -- this item.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: But it's okay, because what I'm
going to do is dispose of that item by saying it's done.
MR. OCHS: Thank you.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: So no worries there.
MR. PAGE: Commissioner, for the record, Jeff Page. I'm the
chairman, and I sent the letter, so I'd probably be better to speak to it.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Sorry. Thank you very much for
saying that.
MR. PAGE: We didn't really say thanks, but no thanks. We've
had North Naples'participation from the very beginning. What we did
say is that we did not want to jeopardize what we're moving forward
through.
So, Orly, I'm really surprised that you would say that.
Commissioner Burke's been involved from the very beginning.
MR. STOLTS: Well --
COMMISSIONER IIENNING: Well, there we go. We heard it
from the chairman that we want you to participate, and it was a
misunderstanding. Thank you very much.
MR. PAGE: You're welcome to attend. They have been
attended. Commissioner McMahon has met with that group.
But what we did say is they were not interested in the tri-merger
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June 11, 2013
at this point. There's some legal issues that require us to put a plan
together. That plan's done. And so to try and bring them in right now,
we think it would not meet the deadline, and my board voted not to
pursue the tri-district. It's not to say we don't want to merge. We do.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: My understanding is, if I may, that
the issue, from what I've heard, is that there's a concern that if three
districts try to merge and if one district objects to the merger as
proposed, that it basically causes the referendum to fail, and then we
have to wait another two years.
So I think -- my understanding is is that the intent is to go
incrementally and not, under any circumstances, to transfer EMS prior
to a full consolidation. You know, I know that North had been
interested in that.
My understanding, from hearing from the board over the course
of the past few years, is that the board is only interested in transferring
to a fully consolidated fire district that's countywide as opposed to
transferring it to East or transferring it to North. Like, one district is
not going to be chosen over another for an EMS transfer, is my
understanding. Is that yours?
MR. PAGE: That's exactly correct. The attorney said not to do
three.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: But not only not to do three, but
also not to transfer EMS to either East Naples or to North Naples
outside of the county or to bifurcate EMS with respect to any
particular jurisdiction, by jurisdiction.
MR. PAGE: We're not askin; for EMS, Commissioner.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Right. No, and I'm just clarifying
that for the record, because that was an issue that I heard discussed,
and I want to make sure that that's clear that that isn't what the intent
is.
But here's the bottom line. I mean, the point is, you're at the start
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June 11,2013
of negotiations, at the start of discussions, so who knows where this
will lead. But you've stated your opening position. You understand it.
They want you at the table; Commissioner Henning is right.
So, you know, with Commissioner Henning as the liaison for the
board, you should go talk and run the numbers. And the most
important thing is, you know, to improve the level of service and save
costs concurrently. And if you can do both those things, that's out of
this world.
If you can maintain level of service and cut costs substantially,
then it makes sense again. But what you don't want to see is merely a
shifting of costs and no improvement in service, because then you
haven't achieved anything.
MR. STOLTS: And I just want to clarify. Perhaps I used the
wrong term in "thanks, but no thanks," but our question in our letter to
them is, did you want a representative from North Naples being
involved in. Now, it's one thing to come to the meetings and sit there
and listen, but I think our opinion was to be involved and have a
representative in the consolidation talks representing the North Naples
Fire District.
MR. PAGE: Commissioner McGowan has been there when
Commissioner Gary and Commissioner Hemping have had those
meetings. Commissioner Burke, Commissioner Garrity, and I have
met numerous weeks before we'd even started, so --
MR. STOLTS: I understand that, but I don't think that was the
intent of our commission's position. It was more of an official role
sitting on that.
So, anyway, we have the letter from both departments on our
upcoming commission meeting this Thursday. ['m sure the board will
discuss that and clarify what they think it says.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Commissioner Page, could you
clarify your district's position and eliminate the ambiguity that seems
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June 1l,2Ol3
to be coming out of the first letter that was written so that they know
that they have a speaking position at the table?
MR. PAGE: Well,I actually told Commissioner McGowan in a
meeting that I had with him and Chuck McMahon that we want them
there. We do want them to observe the process. They clearly seem to
understand. I thought --
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Well, I don't think they want to
observe. I think they want to participate.
MR. PAGE: Well, again, they can participate in the discussion
of the two districts that we're currently merging, but we're not
interested in doing a tri-county merger at this time;just the two,
Golden Gate, East Naples at this point.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: OkaY.
MR. STOLTS: And I think that clarifies my position'
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Commissioner Nance?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes' I have the utmost confidence
in the group working on this project.
MR. PAGE: Thank You.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I think you have a wonderful group
of professionals. I would be delighted to support Commissioner
Henning to be the board's representative to do it. I think he's got the
ability to be a great consensus builder.
I really hope that we don't continue this discussion today,
because I don't think this forum -- I think all of you have things that
you can work out together. I don't really think you need to be doing it
here today.
I really entrust you-all to get together. Chiel you're here. You
know, you've got great fire chiefs that have been elected with
tremendous skills. You have great fire chiefs; you have great boards.
I look forward to it, and I certainly support Commissioner Henning in
his role.
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June I1,2013
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Commissioner Fiala'
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes, as I do; that's why I seconded
ir.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Great.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I feel he'll do a good job'
I also was impressed that you had reached out to Commissioner
Henning, that everybody had. But I'm a little bit sad because I'm your
representative in East Naples, and you never reached out to me. I
didn't even know this was going on.
So it's kind of a shock to me that I'm learning that you've reached
out to others but not to me, your own person, and yet North Naples, I
have to say, they come in what, every month, come and see me, just
bring me up to date about what's going on. Kingman will come in if I
call him but, otherwise, I don't know what's going on.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Let me make a recommendation on
that, because I think it's really important that the fire districts
communicate with the commissioners in each of their districts without
fail.
I think all the commissioners for each district should get a full
briefing from their fire district chief and chair jointly, both the board
and staff, not just staff, but the board and staff, and sit down with the
commissioners of that district and say, okay, this is your district, this
is what we're doing with fire, this is our position in consolidation so
what happened to Commissioner Fiala doesn't happen again.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank You.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: And there is no sense that there's
anything going on, you know --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I did have a call from the union-
They said, do you have any questions? Well, I didn't know there were
any questions to ask. I didn't realize something was going on. So I
said, no, no, everything's fine.
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June I l, 2013
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: So if we could modify the motion' I
mean -- and this is really hard to put into a motion, because this is
really us requesting the chiefs and the chairs to communicate with us,
and --
MR. PAGE: Commissioner, can I please respond to that?
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Sure.
MR. PAGE: I did not reach out to Commissioner Henning. He
contacted me.
COMMISSIONER FGNNING: Correct.
MR. PAGE: Now,I am on your agenda -- or I'm on your
schedule for Monday the 24th, and that's the soonest I could meet with
you. But I was coming to see you. I'm not trying to keep you in the
dark.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank You.
MR. PAGE: And I know that Kingman met with you, and I
thought he had a pretty regular schedule with you. But I certainly
wanted to go over it with you. I didn't want you to be blindsided.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Well, thank you. I appreciate that,
yeah. I would just like to know about things before I go into a
meeting.
MR. PAGE: Very rapidly did this -- it just happened, so --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank You.
MR. STOLTS: And, Madam Chair, I'll be more than happen to
meet with the three county commissioners that represent the North
Naples Fire Control and Rescue District.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Please. I think it's important, and
please ask your chair if they would do the same. And with
Commissioner Coyle, I'm hoping, you know, the city will reach out to
him. I know their relationship is close.
And Commissioner Nance, You know --
MR. STOLTS: Commissioner Coyle also represents --
Page 177
June 11,2013
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes,I just wanted to say one more
thing before we leave this discussion.
Simply because the other independent fire districts that are not
involved in this greater discussion -- [ mean, you're to the point now
where you're having a discussion, you're mentioning three, but we also
have Big Corkscrew lsland, and we also have Immokalee.
So without pushing anything forward, I just wanted to say one
thing that, ultimately, my concern is our goal is to have a unified
first-response effort. And the eastemmost part of the county and the
greater part of my district is the part that's the most difficult simply
because of distance and the vast area that it covers.
So having response times out there and getting the service that
needs to be provided to the people there is the most challenging;
likewise, because of the tremendous difference in demographics out
there, the financing of service in those areas is, likewise, the most
challenging.
So I just wanted to let everybody know that that's going to be on
my mind, and I hope in the larger scope -- not to jump over anything,
but in the larger scope, that people give serious consideration as to
how, when we reach our ultimate goal, we're going to try to deal with
those greatest challenges, which is the size of our county and the
distance we have to traverse.
So thank you very much. I fully support what you're working on.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: And we can include Ochopee in
that.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: AbsolutelY.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Right, exactly. And nothing would
be worse than to see, for example, a merger between, you know, North
Naples, East Naples, and Golden Gate, and your districts left out in the
cold.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: It would be Chapter 11 and
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June 11, 2013
disaster, you know.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: It would be absolutely terrible. So
just, as these discussions begin, please keep that in mind and, you
know, consider incorporating the other fire districts appropriately so,
you know, the service isn't compromised at the end of the day. Thank
you.
So with that, we have a motion and a second on the table to
appoint Commissioner Henning as the representative to negotiate -- or
to work with the negotiating fire districts which include Golden Gate
Estates, East Naples, and North Naples.
Does that include the annexation discussion as well,
Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER FDNNING: No, we already directed staff to
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: To work on that.
COMMISSIONER IffiNNING: -- work on that.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: So staff is working on that
annexation discussion independently, and that won't be part of this
merger discussion?
MR. OCHS: Correct.
COMMISSIONER I{ENNING: Correct.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Thank You.
So we have a motion and a second.
All in favor?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: (No verbal response.)
COMMISSIONER FIALA: (No verbal response.)
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: (No verbal response.)
COMMISSIONER NANCE: AYe.
COMMISSIONER I{ENNING: AYe.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Motion carries unanimously.
The next part of 10E, Commissioner Henning, involves the
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June 1l,2Ol3
potential transfer of fire-plan review and inspection responsibilities to
growth management by East Naples and the Golden Gate Fire
Districts.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Yeah. I'd like to hear from
Chief Schuldt on that -- Orly Stolts. And by the way, have you met
Kingman Schuldt?
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: I have.
COMMISSIONER IIENNING: Isn't he great?
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: He is. I had the pleasure of meeting
him a number of times in my office, and it was a pleasure working
with him. In fact, he came to me on many different subjects, but the
one that really got us involved was the discussion of the annexation.
So yeah, absolutely.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Annexation?
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: The annexation of Fiddler's Creek
into East Naples, the one that Leo is working on with the advisory
board and with their staffs.
Yes, sir?
MR. STOLTS: Okay. Commissioners, for the second half of
10E -- again, Fire Chief Orly Stolts, not to be confused with Kingman
Schuldt from the East Naples Fire District.
The second part of it -- of this particular line item was talking
about plan review. We just want to make sure that the North Naples
Fire Dlstrict is taken into consideration if there's going to be coming to
the table, if you will, talking about plans review.
For the last 10, 15 years in this county the North Naples Fire
Control and District (sic) has experienced over 50 percent of the total
plans review and -- plans reviews and inspections that were done in all
of Collier County, so we have a vested interest in this.
We are, if you will, the majority of the county -- the construction
has been going on in our county (sic). So if we're going to sit down at
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June 11, 2013
the table and discuss this or negotiate this in any way, we would ask
that you would keep North Naples Fire District in mind to be able to
sit in on those discussions.
And then somewhere along here, we've left out the -- a portion of
EMS involvement after consolidation. That's something that is very
near and dear to our heart. You know that we are -- there's only two
ALS providers in Collier County. Collier County EMS is the ALS
transport provider, and we are the ALS nontransport provider.
As a matter of fact, as North Naples Fire District ALS provider,
we are the largest ALS nontransport provider in the State of Florida.
So we feel also that we have a place at the table if you want to talk
about the future of EMS here in Collier County.
I thank you very much for your time.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: CommissionerFiala, would you like
to comment?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Could you stay up there.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes, both of them. First of all, I like
everything you've said. The second thing is, with the ALS, I'm hoping
that that ALS privilege is expanded to others as well. It's kind of hard
for you to shoulder all of them yourself, but you do a great job. I feel
that some of the others would probably like to participate in that, and I
hope it's moving forward.
But my third thing is, I would love to check, but I haven't been
able to now, as to how things have gone for you with your -- with your
inspection reviews for businesses there. I must say that our -- the stuff
in East Naples has been rather cumbersome, and if there's a way to
show that yours has been a smoother process, well, I would like to
know that, because if we can do better for the businesses -- we're
trying to encourage businesses to grow; we're trying to attract them to
this area. And if you have a better process and can -- and it can be an
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advantage to new businesses wanting to come our way, then I'm all for
it, but I would just need to know that that's the case.
Thank you.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Commissioner Nance?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes. I will tell you in my opinion,
after talking to constituents, my limited service on your behalf, I
believe that consolidation of fire-plan review and inspection and
permitting in Collier County is probably, second only to first response
consolidation, an important thing for our community.
I will tell you, I don't think it's any secret, if you talk to the
business community, having it remain the way it is is not efficient. It's
a nightmare. [t's resulted in literally millions of dollars of duplicate --
duplication of effort, and time delays in getting businesses open, of
buildings built, improvements made.
So I fully -- I fulty endorse a consideration. I'm very' very happy
that it's bifurcated. I think it's a separate but very important issue, and
I look forward to everybody working together on getting these two
things under one roof and working smoothly in a coordinated fashion
for everybody's benefit.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I meant to say Growth Management
Division handling that. ['m so sorry. I'm giving it all to North Naples.
I didn't really mean that.
COMMISSIONER ffiNNING: Madam Chair?
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: County Attorney? Can I just ask a
quick question, County AttorneY?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Sure,I'd just like to talk on my
item when you get a chance.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Yeah, go ahead.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The reason I brought this
forward, North Naples Fire Department, the fire commissioners
directed staff to look at bringing their permitting reviews in-house.
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June 11,2013
That's my understanding that's still going forward.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Oh, I don't know.
COMMISSIONER IDNNING: Now, to -- I would -- I would
like to have something in writing with the North Naples Fire
Department if that has changed, because I just talked to
commissioners from North Naples as of Friday; that hasn't changed.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Which commissioners?
COMMISSIONER I{ENNING: Commissioner McGowan,
Commissioner Burke, Commissioner Feder.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Okay.
COMMISSIONER I{ENNING: So -- ANd I thiNK thAt'S
important. If that happens, that leaves the other fire districts not with
anybody to do the review.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: But you had a great idea to put them
under growth management. I think that should definitely happen.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Well, we can't do that. All we
can do is, you know, talk, negotiate, and hopefully there's cooperation.
The direction would be, to the county managers, to have his staff
communicate with the independent fire districts to offer fire-plan
review and inspections.
And that's -- now, there's a lot of issues with that. They're fire
inspectors, some of them are firefighters. They make a different
salary than our inspectors. So that's something that is going to have to
be discussed with staff at, you know, both levels.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: If I may. County Attorney, can we
legally bring fire inspection and review in-house in light of the fact
that the liability rests with the fire chiefs, or at least that's my
understanding is that, ultimately --
MR. KLATZKOW: Well, you can. For an interlocal agreement
with the fire districts, you know, set up an in-house review of it'
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: But can they -- can they --
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June 11,2013
MR. KLATZKOW: Which is what I think Commissioner
Henning was getting at.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Can the chiefs -- and, again, this is a
legal question, I think, more for the chiefs to answer, but I think we
need to answer it as well. Do they have the ability to delegate that
authority to someone outside of them to do that review?
MR. KLATZKOW: Again,I believe by interlocal agreement we
can work this out if this is what everybody wants to do.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: OkaY.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Madam Chair?
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER FIENNING: It does need oversight of the fire
district.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: OkaY.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: And I'm fully aware of that, and
so is our staff, and I think it could happen'
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Okay' I mean, I -- I think it's
definitely worthy of exploration, and it's certainly a very good
question to bring uP.
So I'd like to make a motion to direct the county manager to have
staff work with the various fire districts, both the commissioners and
staff, to see if it would be possible to establish interlocal agreements to
allow for consolidation of fire-plan review and inspection
responsibilities to be under growth -- under the growth management
division, and maybe the county attomey would like to participate in
assisting staff to make sure that, you know, we're looking at
everything from a correct legal perspective.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: If that's any and all districts, I will
certainly second that.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: It is all districts.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I second it.
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June 11,2013
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: There -- Commissioner Henning,
any discussion on that?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: No, ma'am.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Thank you for bringing that
forward.
All in favor?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: (No verbal response.)
COMMISSIONER FIALA: AYe'
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: (No verbal response')
COMMISSIONER NANCE: AYe'
COMMISSIONER IIENNING: AYe.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Motion carries unanimously.
Item #10F
DISCUSSION OF CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN NORTH
NAPLES FIRE CONTROL AND RESCUE DISTRICT, EAST
NAPLES FIRE CONTROL AND RESCUE DISTRICT AND
GOLDEN GATE FIRE CONTROL AND RESCUE DISTRICT
REGARDING POTENTIAL MERGER OPPORTUNITIES -
MR. OCHS: Madam Chair, that takes us to the add-on item' l0F.
You were going to dispose of that, perhaps.
CHAIRWOMAN HILLER: Yes. It has been disposed of. The
letter that is in 10F was addressed in 10E and was discussed in lOE
both by North Naples and by the board, so I think that the matter is
settled. No action required.
Item #134,1 - (Consent Agenda Item #16E4)
RECONSIDERATION OF ITEM #16E.4 ON YOI.]R AGENDA
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