Uh we want to call this special meeting to order. Today is Monday, February the 2nd, 2026 and ask you to stand for the invocation and the pledge of allegiance. Heavenly Father, we we love you and thank you Lord for your presence here.
We ask you, Father, to uh intervene in our our meetings, our agenda, our Lord, everything that we plan to do. We need your your help, your direction. And father, we ask you to bless all those that uh speak from the council to legal
counsel to any professionals to our citizens. Father, we thank you for everything being done decently and in order. And we ask this all in Jesus name. Amen. >> Amen. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, just a a little housekeeping. If and when we have a motion, uh we will give opportunity for
comments. Um we don't we ask you don't just keep repeating the same comment. Uh if you come and when you do come, state your name. If you're representing an organization, state that as well. And tonight I want to ask you to please state whether or not you're a citizen of
the city of Defunia Springs before you speak. Okay? And so uh um with that, I also want to say that uh a few weeks ago, we the council voted 4 to one to have our city manager to go
to BCC and the fire and rescue to get some information that we've been talking about here for probably two or three months. and uh he is meeting with him on the 10th and we all know that. Um if
we're trying to make decisions on that um subject tonight, I think we're putting the cart way ahead of the horse because everybody here says, "Well, I need to hear it all before I make a decision, before I make a vote." And we haven't
heard that. uh we tell him to go get the information, but seems like we want to make decisions before he can go do it. I think that's very elementary and and doing it this way. I know that we've got a house full of firemen and concerned citizens.
Um but I would hope that you want to hear that as well, that information. I know see something nodding your head. No, you don't want to hear it, but uh you need to hear it. You need to hear both sides of this issue. Uh, with that,
uh, if a councilman wants to make a, uh, motion, I just want you to remember that what I just shared with you and, um, and so we can move forward with there. So, we got two things. we got on our agenda. We got the fire department. Then we have
the uh talking about the non-abalora assessment that would be projected for uh the fire department if we decide to go that route. So to begin with we have the fire department.
So I will uh open the dis for any comments and if you want to make a motion >> mayor. >> Yes sir. I understand that we don't have all the information, but we've been asking for this information for months and months.
Um, I believe if the sheriff's office was was really serious about doing this, uh, they would have had this information way before now. One of, uh, my colleague to my right mentioned last meeting that we're not being fair to our fire
department. we keep kicking the can down the road and we're just, you know, the anxiety and stress that they're under. Are they going to have a job? They're not going to have a job. What are we going to do? So, I'd like to make a motion that we keep our fire department right here under city control in the uh
in the city of Definiac Springs. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? >> I'll second. >> We have a second. Um, >> Mr. Mayor, I'd like to offer a
substitute motion, >> right? >> Motion to table until after our city manager is able to collect the information that this council requested of him and to bring it back to us so that we can make educated decisions. >> Okay. Do we have a second on the
substitute? >> Second. >> Okay. >> Now you debate them both. >> Okay. >> Substitute first after debate on both. Okay. All right. We'll start with the substitute. Um, >> debate [clears throat] both at the same time. >> Okay.
>> And then when it comes time the substitute gets voted on to either become the primary. >> Okay. Okay. Good. >> You discuss them at the same time. >> All right. Uh, so we'll take comments on the original motion. >> Mhm.
[clears throat] >> Can everybody hear me? I want to make sure this is on. Hello. Can y'all hear me? Okay. From the beginning, I think I've been uh very clear that I'm opposed to the idea
that the city be given up to any other entity. Number one, in my opinion, this is a charter violation. The charter specifically says if we're going to deactivate a division, there must be unanimous vote amongst all of us.
The second reason why I don't believe this should be done is turning over the fire department. Besides the fact that I think that it's a deactivation, the discussion was to go to the sheriff. I've always said this is a board
function. The industry of the sheriff is policing, not fire safety. So, and and the fourth reason um and I want to make this very clear for the record that in my opinion the representation
here is adversarial and for me the legal council cannot represent this city and the county and the CRA. We all have a stake in the what this decision is going to be. to me that's adversarial and I
I'm opposed to uh the representation of because I don't think it's very clear it it's it's opposite and I I just want to make that very clear for the record. So those are my opinions. >> Okay. Anyone else?
>> Mayor, I want to respond. >> Yes, sir. >> There's no legal conflict of interest. That's very well established. gain here. >> There is no legal conflict of interest that's been well established. Councilwoman Evelyn's concern noted the board of county commissioners is not
part of this discussion. It's a discussion between a constitutional officer, the sheriff and this city council. I do not and never have represented the sheriff. So there is nothing adversarial in that scenario. I don't know how the board of county commissioners could be adversarial to the city. the city manager is going to
ask for their consideration in providing money. But under the Florida Interlocal Government Cooperation Act, it's a matter of mutual cooperation. As for the CRA, I want to be very clear, this very council is the one who asked legal council for the city to serve as CRA's
legal council when it was created for the very simple reason that CRAAS have gotten cities into a lot of hot water. And in fact, this council itself was the initial CRA. So, I don't see how the CRA and the city are at all adversarial or
could be considering the CRA is an entity created by this city and this council at any given time can choose to defund it. They can choose not to issue bonds for the CRA and this city council if it wanted to could give permission to the CRA to fund the construction or
renovation of the fire department. So, I understand council may not like my representation. She has a right to her opinion, but as a matter of law, there is not a legal conflict of interest. And I think that the suggestion of that at the outset of a conversation when that's
not what's on the agenda uh is well out of bounds. >> Thank you. All right. Anyone else on this motion? Yeah, I think that u um you know I think kind of brought us into this thing is that we were uh at
our last budget for the 20 it was in the latter part of 24. We were talking about 25 and uh excuse me I'm in 25 25 26 and we ran into a situation where we absolutely couldn't give our employees a raise.
certainly couldn't give our firemen a raise, but we couldn't give anybody else a raise. We went and we found some uh some money. It was a oneshot deal where we're able to give them bonuses. I think we gave them all $1,500 a piece. That's what we did. That's not a raise. That's
a bonus. That's nothing is going to carry them over to the the very next year. um we have been hacking over this for quite a while and we don't see, you know, uh how we're going to [clears throat] do it next year. They say, "Well, you
can get rid of the CRA." Well, if you get rid of CRA, you may be able to do a little something, but you're not going to be able to do it all. Uh we got a lot more than than what the CRA can help us with uh or take from them. But, uh bottom line is we're going into, you
know, we don't they say you're picking on the fire department. Well, fire department is just the first of many we're going to pick on. Uh there's several departments we're going to pick on. Uh we had somewhat of what I considered a pretty um
appetizing offer from fire and rescue that would give us immediate help is one of the reasons we've looked at this. And uh and just to make sure that this crowd knows as what they had offered was to eliminate about a million dollars a year
off of our budget. Number two, that our ISO ratings are going to improve, which means your premiums will go down. And uh and that all of our that they would hire all of our firemen with at
least a minimum of a 15% raise. some of them would get a 25% raise. And so I thought, what is so ugly about that? And uh and so that's that's that's what was sent to us. We'll get the fine print
as soon as Kobe gets back to us. Uh hopefully when the certainly before our next meeting. So anyway, I want to make sure you hear the other side of this coin. Uh we love our firemen. Uh I dearly love our firemen. I've told
stories again and again how they've been helpful to me and my household. Uh but I got a responsibility to the city to make sure that we keep it going in the future that we're not next time we're trying to sell equipment to give a raise or we're going to lay off other people to give a
raise because that looks like that's our choices uh at this time. And uh now we're grow we're a growing city, but it's going to take a number of years before it begins to fill into our uh general fund in different ways. But uh
but for right now, we we just don't have it. And uh so I I want to make sure that um we don't leave leave everybody hanging, even every department hanging, not just the fire department. Yes, ma'am. >> I'd like to share two more things, Mr. Mayor. I went back and looked at the
actual budgeted financials, how we spent our money only, and I'm only going to repeat what the general fund says, and public works spent 31% across the city 31% of that budgeted
number, and the city marshall came in next at 30% and the fire department came in third at 16%. So, just keep that in mind. I just want everybody to be aware of how we actually spend our money. And again, that's only the general fund. And
the other piece of knowledge I want to share with everybody is the city manager when this first started to happen, I asked for the draft that he received, the draft memo. And after that, we had a
a meeting over this was in December. And the city manager came to me or I asked him and he told me that sheriff will refuse to provide us any more additional information. The additional information came about because last meeting I
believe I made a motion to bring this to uh a conversation so we could decide one way or the other how we're going to move forward. and all of a sudden since that time now the discussions have reopened like we're going to get additional information. But Mr. Manager, um, is
that an accurate reflection of what you told me that he refused at that time to provide us any additional information than what was in that draft? >> Yeah, I think I stated our first meeting in January when we asked about it that I told everyone here that the sheriff has provided everything he's going to provide. That's what he told to me.
Refuse isn't the word I I use, but he has provided to us everything he's going to provide to us. But I ask where is the actual like where is the formal this is what we can do for you so we could make a decision year two year three year four how much is this going to cost us so
>> I I appreciate that >> until the first meeting of January they only provide us this draft >> since y'all now sent me to go get the term sheet I've spoken with them they're working on drafting that up now I'm waiting to receive that document from them >> and for me a term sheet means we're already in negotiations and I can tell
you I'm very opposed to that because to me, I don't think we've made a decision on how we're going to move forward. If we're going to keep the fire department, let's figure it out how we're going to fund it and move forward. And if not, then, you know, there's other issues on the table.
>> Well, to make a decision whether or not you're going to keep it under the c under the administration it's under right now and without this information being bright and clear for your face, uh, I'd be asking an awful lot of you. I
think that you waiting another two weeks to to get this information. What are we afraid of? >> Lamb. >> Um, [clears throat] you know, the comments about picking on the fire department and that's been questioned in in previous meetings.
You know, I I don't I don't have an answer uh to that, but I do know that that has been the only conversation. there not been a conversation at DAS about turning the police department over to the county. Um, this fire department has been the
focus. >> Now, I'm going to try to go in order, mayor, of some of the things you mentioned, the ISO ratings. >> Yeah, >> they have a a lower ISO rating right now. They have plans to uh lower, you
know, through training or whatever methods they can do to to lower I'm sure Chief Sheffield probably has a desire to do the same thing with the city, but there's neither man can guarantee neither entity can guarantee that they
will lower in fact lower those ISO ratings or that they in fact will have a huge impact on home insurance premiums. Um so that's that's not a guarantee. um the other other benefits, you know, of the city or of the county taking over
it. You know, a million dollars sounds sounds good. It it it does. And I have no issues with the quality of service that our fire department provides. um you know, personally from what I've
seen and and and I have been observing and and and they they respond to a lot of calls. They respond to a lot of assistance calls to the county. Um and and that's the way things should work. We we should be working hand inand
helping each other out, especially when lives are at risk. And our fire department does does a wonderful job of doing that. and and the county does a wonderful job of responding when when our fire department needs assistance as well. So that that working relationship has been well. I would not like to see
that relationship damaged in any way by anything we do, anything we say up here. Um but the um Councilwoman Hein, I think you mentioned something about fine print or perhaps mayor it was you. I'm not sure if Mayor it was you. uh that Kobe would
bring back the fine print uh after the BCC meeting on February 10th. What fine print exactly are we talking about? >> Well, it be a document. It' be a document that we can all look at and review. It's not just where they scratched out a few subject matters.
>> A document as to what? >> Like what would look like in an agreement? Yeah. >> And then then we still have the ability to negotiate. We have the ability to uh customize it. There's a lot of things that can be done, but until we get
something in writing from them, >> we're pretty well stuck. Is that correct? Uh >> Clay, >> well, I don't know how you're going to vote on a contract if it's not in front of the council to vote on. So, to that point, I do agree. I mean, certainly you can vote on what you're voting today and
that cuts off any contract discussion or otherwise, but we could not voluntarily agree right now to turn the fire department over to someone tonight because we don't have any documentation in front of us about how that would work. >> So, until that comes, you can't do that.
>> Okay? Which brings me to my my point here. Um, we we in 2024 when I came on this council, this conversation was had. There was no motion made by anybody at this dis to
turn the fire department over to the county. No motion's been made. 2025 last year, no motion's been made to do the to do so. And so far this year, no motion has made been made to do so. Nobody has made a motion to turn it over
>> to the county, but there's been, you know, 24, 25, and now into 26 for however long of having a conversation about this. And we've still all that time, and this has been my argument all along. It's not [clears throat] personal
for me. This is not nothing against the sheriff's department or the sheriff or the county. It's not that at all. It's the fact that we spend all this time and energy talking about getting rid of something that we haven't figured out how to keep and and and and to find out
how to to to fund it. We we asked Kobe to go and ask about requests from the county, how they could possibly help us out to keep our fire department if it went that way. And now we we we we we
Councilman Scaners made the motion to uh send Kobe to the county for what it would look like for the sheriff's department over >> uh and I agreed with that. Right. I've been looking for objective information. So we got that. We got that in that
thing. Only three council members have seen that proposal. And now after all this time since that was done, which has been months ago, after all this time, now they're going
to put together an agreement for us. So we should have had that a long time ago either at our direction or their initiative or whatever. I'm not throwing fault here. I'm just saying so much time is being wasted, so much energy being talked about on this thing. And I'm so
afraid so so many other important things in our city is going to fall through the cracks the more we continue to talk about this thing. Um so you know it concerns me that there's not been uh a a motion to turn it over at some point and
and bring a real discussion to the point and and we all know if a motion such as that had been had been made and seconded and then voted down we wouldn't be having this conversation all this time. Right? So, we know that and that's why a motion has not been made, I'm sure. And
so, somebody makes a motion now to keep it and let's end this and and and go to work and figure it out. And we don't want to do that. I have asked for information from from from the county. I am curious as to whether they are are willing and able to help us financially
fund our own fire department in some way. I think that's a conversation worth worth having. But I'm just, you know, this this thing has to be resolved one one way or the other. And we either are willing to do the work to keep our fire department and I think there's a path to
that. There is absolutely a path to it. Mayor, >> go ahead. [clears throat] I've mentioned in a previous meeting that Ross Sheffield, Chief Sheffield,
he didn't come from some little backwater fire department. Birmingham, Alabama is equivalent to our Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando. It's the big league. Mhm.
>> And he asked for the opportunity to see if he could make this work and to give him some time uh with some suggestions on how to save our fire department. And based on the decades that he's put
in to this profession, I think we owe him that because this is not the last time this is going to be discussed. We can talk about this next year or the next, but for right now, I think we I think our chief deserves a shot.
So, that's that's number one. Number two is there was some talk about the fire department could run this on a million dollars. Uh, I don't believe it. >> Nobody said they could run it for me.
They said they'd save us a million. >> Save us a million. Okay. Well, I suspect and and this is just math that they might take an initial hit, but the county is going to assess us
with a fire assessment only if we let them. >> Really? >> Yes. We have to consent. That is true. A county cannot impose an abilorm or a non-abboral assessment within the city limits without the city's consent via
ordinance. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um the next thing on my list is the sheriff did not initiate this. >> Not that I'm aware of.
>> I called him. He said I don't want the fire department. He told me this out of his own mouth and he said, "If this if the city of Defunia insists I take it, his his exact words were, I'm not going to let any business or house burn down
in Defunia Springs. I'll take care of it." >> So, it wasn't the sheriff's off it wasn't the sheriff's office that was going after this. As unpopular as this may sound, the only time getting rid of our sh our um
fire department ever really took on some serious conversation at this DIS is some mistakes that were made last budget season. We did not put public safety first.
We put $1.1.2 $2 million that could have gone into our fire department into the CRA. Somehow or another, we got the county to give us $750,000 a year to the CRA that they get nothing
in return for. Um, we put all these wants and needs about um an amphitheater and an art studio. We're not going to talk about C.
>> Okay. That's what started the problem >> in your mind. >> No, sir. Because once that was funded, there was no money left for the fire department. And that was in my opinion
by design. That wasn't by accident. They we put we put the wants way before our needs. And then when it came time to fund our fire department, it was like we don't have any money left.
So that's no surprise there. Um it's kind of embarrassing to be on a city council that for somehow we've operated we as a city, a municipality
for over a hundred years. Over a hundred years. This is a historical department in this county and I don't want my name associated with somebody that that couldn't work this
out. Now, we can work this out. It might take some help and some partnership from the county to help us. Um, and I'm not talking about the sheriff's office. I'm talking about the BCC. But if I was sitting on that BCC,
I would say, "Y'all got to help yourself first. We'll help you, but y'all voted to put the CRA ahead of the fire department. So, good luck with that. You got to help yourself." And then after you help
yourself by eliminating the CRA, yes, we're going to help you. >> That's what I would say. Um, are we ready for a vote? >> No, I'm letting you make all your points. >> That's all I got for now. >> Okay. Anyone else?
>> Yes, sir. Go ahead. >> Mr. Mayor, I I completely disagree with 75% of what councilman said. This council did not put the needs of the CRA ahead of the rest of the city or public safety. That's completely false. What this council looked at was not the
amphitheater. We were looking at the alleyway alleys and streets. I want to finish downtown and we looked at the fact of the flooding that was going on down there. And we looked at the fact that we have sewage coming up in the back of our businesses. That creates liability. That's going to cost us money
in the end. And it may be far more than what we would save going the opposite direction. The second thing is the fire department was fully funded this year. It was at a reduced rate of compared to what it was the year before because that was at this council's request. And you
might recall the reason why that took place was because we'd have to minimize the transfers from our water and sewer department that are going to the general fund. It was one of the things that for yes for hundreds of years we've been putting all these things forward and
everything's fine. But the one thing that came up here recently was why couldn't previous councils have seen this coming down the road? Well, they did. The problem is they were funding it out of water and sewer the entire time.
So to say that we don't care about the fire department or public safety is completely false, especially from somebody like me. I've been in public safety my entire life. I care about our fire department. I care about our firefighters. I would like to keep it. The thing is, we're trying to
open our mind and find alternative ways to fund government and continue to carry on the same level of service that we're providing our citizens today. But in what means? Why is it so hard to ask for information and wait for it to come back? The reason
why it's taken so long to get here is the bureaucratic process. It's, hey, we want information. Can you bring that back? Yes, sir. I'll go get it. Well, the rest of the council wasn't in overall agreement with it two or three
months later. Well, that means I got to talk to the rest of the council and find out. So then we come together and we say, "All right, go get information. What can it hurt?" So one meeting goes by, it doesn't come up on the agenda the next one or the
next one. And then it comes back that hey, you know, here's where we're at. But we sit here and listen to the audience say, "Well, you haven't even went to the BCC to ask for money yet. Why haven't y'all done that? Why haven't you looked at these other alternatives?"
So, what do we do? Mr. City Manager, can you go find out that information and bring it back to us? Let's look at all these things. It may be that we're right back to where we are tonight saying, "We're keeping the fire department. Neither one of these alternatives are going to work out. Neither one of them
are advantageous for us. So, you know, we're just going to have to keep robpping out of water and sewer and do this. And then what are where are we at two or three councils down the road? Why didn't they see this coming? Why did they let these pipes fell? Why is D still finding us? Why is EPA on our
backs? It's the fact that we've got the entire system to look at and to try and keep that system going. Is it has it all fallen apart? No. because we are robbing out of water and sewer today to pay for the general fund. I mean, the fire department, why are we
picking on the fire department? I'm not picking on the fire department. I just know that there's somebody that's willing to help us here, whereas in another arena, we may not be willing to let them come in. You've brought it up with police and fire and everything in the past, and I didn't see everybody so
popular about that thought either. So why can't for two weeks why can't we wait and let him bring back the information we've requested of him so that then you have everything in front of you and you can say this is what we're going to get or that's what we're going to get but nevertheless just wait.
All we do when we get on social media and ramp this up and beg people to ramp it up on social media is create anxiety, hate, insecurity for our workforce. And all it does is get all of us turning against one another rather than working
with one another. >> That's it. Mr. I'd like to respond to a comment he made about some things I said and that is from the very onset from the very beginning before I was elected when I was
campaigning I put infrastructure on the top of the list of what my priorities were if elected and what I would try and work at the most and the alleyway is infrastructure and I have never been against the alleyway I have been a strong proponent of it and for the
people who want to say that we can't do things without the CRA. We got to have the CRA to do this. We got to have the CRA to do that. The reason I don't believe that for a minute is we didn't have one penny of CRA money. And look at the airport we've got. We have come into
the 21st century thanks to Liberty Partners and state and federal grants. Um, >> and we can do and we can do the same thing. >> And we can do we can do the same thing. So
>> yeah, >> there's my comment there. >> I just wanted to say a minute ago you were talking about Chief Ross. I think that's another reason why we should give us a little more time. Certainly we want to hear from Chief Ross and if he needs a couple more weeks to make a presentation, uh we'd love to give it to him.
>> Mayor, I tend to agree with the fact that we've been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and when they said there was uh there's not going to be any more information come through. >> What has made you so fearful of two more weeks? because it's going to be more the same.
>> How do you know? You know, >> no, we're not going to have clapping. We >> We've been beating this drum for years. >> Who was that clapp? >> Okay, come on. >> Who was that clap last? >> Okay. Okay. >> Anybody want to point them out to me? [snorts] >> Okay, Randy, you can be excused. >> It wasn't me.
>> It wasn't. >> I believe it was. >> Okay. >> Exit. Get out of here. [clears throat] >> It wasn't me. Oh, you're going to take you going to take >> Okay, she going to take the knife for
you. >> All right, we're going to have a civil meeting in here or we can have it by ourselves here at the dis. All right, I appreciate you guys. We love you guys, but for your benefit, we need to hear need to be able to hear. Okay. All
right. What was the last thing? >> It's um >> Glenn's turn. Yeah. [clears throat] Um, we Councilman SC, we we have asked for more and more information and that is on record as being an
attempt to gather all the objective information we could possibly gather. Not a hindrance, not an extension of this conversation, but to have all of the information and and we [clears throat] have gathered quite a lot and and it has strained the staff to continue to go and seek this information
for us. But we can't have a conversation of this magnitude without that information. I don't feel like and we've gotten to this point to where um the [clears throat] other side of this thing is as far as you made comment that we
you know that we're trying to look for other alternatives but rather than having to tr make transfers by turning the fire department over to the county. The alternatives we have not searched for are the ones that I have been talking about from the beginning
and that's how we can fund the current fire department that we already have and control and have for a century. So that is an important part of this. I mean I I I get it that we we want to reduce transfers and and all that and we need
to do that. I think we're all on board to do that, right? But if we haven't searched for avenues of funding, for example, impact study or fire assessment, we couldn't get a second on doing a fire assessment just to set a hearing date in the last
council meeting. Just to set a hearing date. Didn't cost us a dime. No contract signed with to for a fire assessment study. just to set the date so that we know we're on track to at least move forward with looking at a possibility of how we
can fund it. But in the past, there's not been an effort to increase impact fees. There's not been an effort to uh do a fire assessment study and perhaps impose a fire assessment. One of the few cities in this entire state that do not
have a fire assessment. And here we are. The only conversation seems to be and the movement is towards let's let it go so we can reduce our transfers without looking at other ways to keep it. That that is that is the whole issue for me right here is
I think there are paths to to to find this and really feel good about what we accomplish. Um okay [clears throat] >> I think Mr. Harrison, back in December, you had made it clear that you wanted
this information gathered, but I want it back so we can move. My impression back in December was like you wanted to move forward with this. Let's make a decision and figure out what we're going to do as far as the funding from water and sewer. You know, we've done that for years to
make the budget balance at the end of the day. And it might not be a popular idea that we're going to have to do it maybe one or two more budget cycles in order to figure this out. I understand in order to fund infrastructure, we
really need to try to figure out why we're transferring so much in and we've made steps to do that in the last budget cycle. So I'm I'm happy about that. But we might it's we're not going to be able to do it necessarily because right now
we got to figure out how we are going to tighten our belt and where we're going to do it at. I don't think we should do it at the expense of the fire department. That just came up all of a sudden and it was almost like that was a a easy way out for me. I'll tell you
why. I don't want to wait any longer on obtaining information from the county. We've asked, we've asked, we got temporary information and that's all you're going to get. That's what was told to us. For me, it's a stall tactic at this point in
time. If we're going to move forward, let's make a decision and move forward and find a way to fund this. I don't want to deactivate our fire department. I don't want it to go to somebody else. The city of Defunia is its own taxing authority. for any fire assessment to be
had, we up here have to make that decision. The county cannot do it for us. Nobody else can do it for us. That is why I am not willing to have that conversation at this time until I know we're going to keep this fire department. If we are, I don't have a
problem with the conversation. It'll be a great way to uh raise additional funding sources that are not coming from property taxes. Um, but the one thing that the residents come knock on my door, telephone me is it is not right
for you to give away that fire department and still keep the money inside of your budget and keep raising it in your millage rates. It's not right and I refuse to do that for our taxpayers. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I think that if you were
to um turn the management over and we saved a million dollars, I think very soon and very soon we could start lowering the millage rate. Um the you know, I had talked to in Freeport and of course I was getting some information so that
whenever Kobe came back to us and shared what he had, I was going to make sure all of you had a copy of this agreement. And this agreement here is the one between Freeport and Fire and Rescue in 2014. Um, I was kind of privy to that because
I'd only been a mayor for a little over a year at the time, but they uh they made this agreement with the fire and so I um had some questions about it. I asked a uh lifetime resident of Freeport who was
also a councilman before and after. They turned the fire department over to fire and rescue. Uh actually, I believe in November of 2014. And uh and I asked them, you know, what their thoughts were on it. She said it's the best thing Freeport's ever done. uh
said that I even she says, "I know a lot of the firemen personally. Most of them have gone on to much higher ranks, much better pay, much more training." Uh she just couldn't say enough good things about it. Um but anyway, it was uh kind
of eye opening to me, but but this was something and I'll make sure that the clerk gets this out to all of you right away. Uh but it was going to you were going to get it several several days if not a week before Kobe returned with his information. So
it's a simple agreement. Uh Freeport um after this agreement was done. There was an assessment which I think they're like everybody else in the county that each home pays $75 per home and that's it. Freeport pays zero dollars. Zero
dollars. And uh so you know uh so if you want something to kind of to look at judge now freeort's not near as old a city as we are but still you know and and I can tell you there's several other cities are doing just what we're talking about as we speak. So this is not
something real unusual. Uh no one likes no one likes change. I know these firemen don't want change. Uh I didn't like change. I've I've been pushed and bumped around all my life and almost every time I thank God for it. Even though when it happened, I did not like
it. Uh whenever I was either a job was playing out or you know, whatever reason I had to move on, I didn't like it. But it didn't take me long to think, thank God it happened. Uh let me get Dan first. Okay, >> Dan.
>> Yes, sir. Um, mayor, that was a very good valid point. We may end up doing that. This is not a permanent thing what we're doing tonight. I'm going to go back to saying we deserve uh that Chief Sheffield
deserves an opportunity to show us that this can happen and this can work and say two years from now if it's not we can do this and in the interest of time um
we need to move pretty move along to public comment. >> Go ahead, >> Mr. Mayor. Would you please Who is that contract between? What two entities? >> The city of Freeport and Fire and Rescue. >> Who's Fire and Rescue? The Board of County Commissioners?
>> No. No, it's they're underneath Sheriff Atkinson. >> I know who they're under, but who's that contract buying between? >> Uh, the board. It was between the board and >> Okay. All right. The board
>> the sheriff was not running fire rescue. That's true. That's true. CC and city app. All right. So, it would have been BCC >> 18. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. That was my whole point because it's the board function, not the sheriff's function, >> but it certainly was then.
>> If you uh if you want to speak, raise your hand and come on up to the podium and I'll recognize you again. I'm going to just hang on y'all. Quit pointing your fingers, please. I I'll I'll look around over here in just a minute. Uh but when you come, be sure and state your name. If you're with an
organization, state organization, and I want to know if you are a citizen of the Funiac Springs, you can speak out and be living out in the county. That's not a problem. I just want to know, do you live inside city?
So w with that contract 2014 which was not the sheriff's department but you you said that Freeport paid zero >> for to for that fire protection. >> Yeah. With the exception of the
assessment fee, but that was a citizens paying the assessment fee. >> Right. Okay. So what what is the current agreement with the sheriff's department? >> I don't know that it's changed in Freeport. >> It it's the same. I'll represent that to you. there. The city of Freeport does
not provide any money out of its budget to the county or to the sheriff for fire rescue. >> So, their proposal to us was that we pay them a million dollars. >> Yeah, >> there's a difference. >> There's a difference there. Am I missing this? >> Yeah. >> Um
>> I mean, that's something that can be brought up. I mean, this is we're kind of going into negotiations here. So, you know, if you got something you want to propose, uh, Shelby can propose it >> that I want to propose. [clears throat] >> Well, this
>> Well, I mean, I'm shocked by that, actually. I, you know, I got to process that. >> Yeah. Well, again, this was back in 2014. >> Well, no, I asked Clay current agreement with Freeport and the Sheriff's Department.
>> Well, it's the same. So to be clear, so the county contracts fire and rescue to Walton County Sheriff's Office. That occurred circa 2017 2018 budget year. With that being the case, that interlocal just merged straight under
that scenario. So the city of Freeport allowed the fire in fire assessment back in 2014 to go into effect within the city limits. Now, the city did use its fire impact fees to pay for the first year of of the fire assessment for all of its citizens, but after that, there
was no additional monies funded. So, as it stands right now, that same interlocal governs Walton County Fire Rescue regardless of who's operating it to provide those services to the city as it happens in the unincorporated areas of the county. So when the sheriff took
over Walton County Fire Rescue because the board negotiated that arrangement, Freeport went right along with it because they were already under the county's management. There was never a separate negotiation after 2014 between Freeport and Walton
County Sheriff's Office. >> So there's there's no money paid out of Freeport's general fund for fire to to the sheriff's office. >> No, sir. >> For fire protection? >> No, sir. >> No. Norfor Police Service >> question.
Does the fire assessment that was raised in Freeport come to Freeport first and then to the county and then to the sheriff or does it go straight from the tax collector who collects it to? Who? Who does the tax collector give that fire assessment to?
>> Fire assessment goes to the county ultimately. I don't know whether it passes through Freeport First or >> Thank you. And I believe that if you read it, it goes I'll guarantee you it goes through Free Port's books first. >> Okay. >> Any other comments?
>> One one more, Mayor. Yeah. >> Um in in the last council meeting, I I proposed that we set a hearing date for a fire assessment and and I made the comment that even if our fire department was turned to the sheriff's department, that rather than take that million
dollars out of our general fund because we don't want transfers, right? We want to reduce transfers. Why would we take a million dollars? I argued this. Why would we take a million dollars out of our general fund to pay the sheriff's department instead of not having a fire assessment to cover part of that help us
with that million dollars and didn't get a second to set that hearing date. So, this throws a lot of lot of questions out um at at this point. I mean, we have not been made aware of that situation at
all with with Freeport. >> Um, and Clay, I have to ask, I mean, why have all these conversations have we not been made aware of the Freeport arrangement and and we've been spending all this
time talking about this thing? >> Frankly, they're not apples to apples, Councilman. The city of Freeport and the county negotiated well outside of the fire district. Freeport was not a full service fire department. It still relied on partial volunteer services. Freeport
for the basically the year prior had sought assistance from the sheriff and for Walton County Fire Rescue due to issues that I really don't want to go into detail of, but it's all pretty well public record about the fire chief and issues with his certifications. Ultimately, the city of Freeport was in
a spot where they weren't able to continue managing that fire department. Not from a pure budgetary standpoint. Now, I think what the mayor said probably is an accurate reflection of how the city council down there feels. Um, but there were also large pots of
money, million and a half, $2 million of loan money between the city and the county that had nothing to do with fire rescue. That was part of the overall transfer. The other thing that was different was at the time the county was in need of a fire station in the central
part of the county along with 20 corridor. They lack the ability to place it. They lack the property to place it and the city has a fire department right in the middle of the city of city limits of Freeport. The county was interested in acquiring that fire station for its
own purposes. So, I would say that without going back through everything that happened 12 years ago, that agreement that was formed had to do with a lot of things other than the city wanting to give its fire department away to the county. Uh, it had to do with the county wanting certain things, including
that fire station. Um, the county wanting satisfaction of certain debts that was handled as part of this and the mutual benefit that was received by everybody in that. Um the city council's discussion here has gone to contracting
the service out. Um Freeport did away with its fire department. And Councilwoman Evelyn's exactly right. There's never been any attempt at this table to deactivate the fire service and say we're just not going to have it. That's what Freeport ended up doing as
part of it. You can't do that outside of a 50. The discussion here has been contracting. Whether you contracted with Walton County Fire Rescue, South Walton Fire District, or a third-party provider, that's been the whole
discussion. Um, but I would say Freeport negotiated that with the county, the county negotiated that with Freeport, and it was a board to city discussion, whereas this has been a city council to constitutional officer discussion. I would think those would be the difference. I do think we've mentioned
those several times. this DAS. I know the mayor's asked me about it >> going back into the budget >> what happened with Freeport and we said Freeport got rid of the fire department and the county runs it at no cost. >> Yeah, we didn't have a deep discussion but I have mentioned it you over the years god knows how many times that
Freeport you know doesn't pay any fire protection. Uh but [clears throat] anyway, now their fire department back then because I I did a lot of electrical work for them and I think they had a total of eight employees, not like us, you know, we're uh much larger. Um and
of course we have uh and of course I think that was eight full-time. They had some volunteers, but uh so it's definitely a much smaller and less trained fire department than what we have now. But um but that was that was just kind
of where they're at. So that's not apples for apples, but that's just something the county's done before and I just want to make sure you're aware of. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So for me, all the information is relevant or it's not. So if this wasn't relevant all this time through all these
meetings, why all of a sudden is it coming up so as if it is relevant? But for me, I think it's relevant. I don't I think we should have known before now. >> Go ahead. >> Mr. Mayor, I know from my conversations with our city manager when we were first
talking about this and what the proposal was from the sheriff's office initially that and I hope that he made you aware as well. This talks about the fire assessment are not new and they had been talked about then as well. The million dollar factor was a million dollars flat
out off of the 1.9. If you implement the fire assessment, we'll take whatever we get off that fire assessment and reduce that cost from the million dollars as well. >> That was initial discussions that I told in his office up there. >> So, if you didn't get that same
conversation, I don't know why not, but that and that is the initial proposal that they've just come out with. We're still asking Kobe to go back and get something in writing to bring to this council so that we have a form of a document to look at. My my arguments all
along have been I want the same deal that was offered to the other unincorporated areas of the county to include the city of Freford. I would like to get exactly what they got. I would also like to look at what Mossy Heads did. >> Moss heads not incorporated.
>> I know it. That's unincorporated is that Gaskin and everywhere else as well. It's just treat us the same. No less, no different is what I'm getting to as far as an offer, but I still want this information to come back. You were exactly right. We're putting the carpet forward. >> Go ahead, Amy.
>> I I would be interested in knowing how this information is getting disseminated because I'm going to tell you something. I've been sitting up here and not once the only thing I've seen was a draft memo from the sheriff to Kobe and it didn't say anything that Mr. Scurs just
shared. And if it did, I must be a horrible reader. >> Go ahead. >> Can you ask our city manager if he relayed the same information to Miss Heftlin that he did to myself and the rest of the council? >> The draft memo was given to everyone that had the same dollar amount on it to talk about the assessment and that if
you see it was to implement an assessment, it would offset. I shared that with everyone. Everyone, everyone here gets the same information. I I spend well over 12 hours every other two weeks of my life disseminating the same exact information. By the time I get done with the mayor on Mondays, I could recite you this agenda with my eyes
closed, not a looking at a thing. So, I give the same information to everyone. Everyone gets it. >> The the whole assessment thing that came up, this this secretive meeting that happened between the county and myself and sheriff's office a few weeks ago, it was about this assessment. It wasn't about additional funding for the city.
It was a question I asked the sheriff's office in our initial meeting was, "What about the assessment? Does that automatically get applied to citizens in the city?" Response to me was, "I don't know. Let me find out." That was from Mr. Vos then we went and had a meeting with the county representatives from the county sheriff's office myself from the
city and the answer that's what I gave you last meeting was you have three options you either you retain the fire department you do an assessment yourself or you don't do it at all you contract the fire services you can implement a fire assessment if you do you give that to the person who is performing that
service your you don't do it at all so or you ask board of county commissioners to do it for you those are the three options you have So, in terms of information, again, I give the same information to everyone. Um, so responsible. >> Well, I want to give us a chance to open up the floor. Um, I'm going to ask you,
I'm hoping that you are trying to help us solve something. I hope you don't come up here to just stir up trouble. There's plenty of that going around. We need your help. We don't need your daggers. Okay. So, with that, we'll open up the floor. Please state your name. If
you're representing organization, state that as well and let me know if you are a citizen. Do you live within the city limits of Phoenix? So, the floor is open. We're not going to have repeats. Okay? Don't come back. If she says something, don't come up and repeat
exactly what she said. Thank you. >> Randy Lightner, Li Ght Ner. I've lived in I've had a defin my entire 54 years. Sometimes in the city, sometimes outside the city limits
short. Well, one year I didn't have a dispuniac springs address. I grew up I shouldn't be my time shouldn't be counted as I'm having to explain. >> Um, >> keep going. Keep going. >> I took my naps as a toddler in that fire station. >> So, I don't think where I live to right
now today really matters. This affects everybody in the county, city, county, north end, south end, doesn't matter. Shouldn't not a question you should ask. I'm sorry, but I think that's kind of tacky. >> Yeah, you you want to write write me a rule book. >> So 31 You probably should could use Go right ahead and try.
>> So 31% public works, 30% to law enforcement, and 16% to fire does not make sense. That's that's not enough for any fire department, but it is what it is. You know, I don't see you can get out of it anytime soon. So, what I'm
wondering about with the CRA, is that a possibility to look at what they could take off of public works to pull some of that budget back to to give to your fire department right now? So, that's I I don't know. I I don't know what CRA can do and what they can't, but you want ideas, there's an idea. Um, and and
another thing to know with all this talk about ISO ratings, there's not much of any money saved. as long as it stays below five, there's no real evidence that it's a huge saving to any homeowner. And in fact, a lot of
homeowners insuranceances are pulling away from using these ISO ratings all together. So you all may want to check yours and see if it even still matters. Um, so it most importantly, I'm going to say this because I've said everything else.
Adnauseium. The firefighters prefer to stay under the city versus getting a raise. I don't think any more needs to be said than that. Every You haven't heard anyone come up here and say, "Please give away the fire department." Two people have been in favor of that. That's not who y'all work for is these
two people. You work for these people back here. You work for me. You're trying to give You've got you've got commissioners in the audience that you're you're making a real impression on tonight, I'm sure. And I'm glad you are >> because you you really I think you've sunk his there.
>> Um, and the last thing I'm going to say >> is for the mayor to sit and call the council members elementary for calling a meeting. I came here in June of last year and I said that this was happening. I said this was
being discussed. You, you and you. All three looked at me and said there is not and has not been any discussion on it. You you and you lied. >> No, you respond to it. >> Okay. Next, [clears throat]
>> Lisa Sorl, city of Definiac. I have a question. The city manager and our fire chief created a plan a couple months back. >> Our city manager and our fire chief went over, created an amazing plan a couple months back. Basic plan, needed reviewing. Why are we not following through with that without going through
and, you know, going to other people to figure out how can they do it better? >> I don't think I said done. >> I'm just asking. >> Yeah, >> they did create that. They spent hours and hours on that. >> Mhm. >> Secondly, this fire assessment, are we still going over that tonight? Cuz we have nothing in writing, no nothing to
figure out if we're keeping our fire department. So, how can we create a fire assessment if we don't know if we're doing that? And the one thing, if we do give it to our sheriff, our employees, can we make it a part that they're guaranteed job location?
Mo, exactly. Most of our employees picked Deaniac for the location. Why would they want to go to Paxton or the South End? That ain't fair to them. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Well, welcome back, Michelle Kit, city
resident. Um, and we'll get my notes open. Um, I I'll be honest with y'all. I'm I'm really exhausted with the fire department discussion. It's not any longer to me of who's going to fund it.
It's going to who's going to fund it to our safety and those firefighters safety. We haven't talked about the equipment they need, all of the things they need. I'm not for turning it over to the sheriff, but you guys have got to get in your pennies and find the waste
and start turning it over. I'm not in favor. I I was originally in favor of getting that CRA money back. I'm not I want to see that money used for infrastructure and our fire station. Not a dog park, not an amphitheater right
now, but I do want to see that money used and I want to see it. Y'all can't tell them what to do, but we can. We can. Um, funding is our most important necessity here tonight. And I'm not sure that this the sheriff's
in that I haven't seen that little agreement, but I I don't think there's a contract for a year or anything else. I'm looking at the future. How much will that cost us or come through? I'm well aware of Freeport's situation and that they were mostly a volunteer. And I don't think
that that does compare to us today since we have all paid employees. But I want y'all to consider the fact that public safety is what we voted you in for. It's the number one priority. And it's not just the citizen safety,
but it's the people who come to help us. And I don't hear that discussion. I don't hear where we can find money for better equipment. I'm not hearing where we can find money to help the citizens and the employees. So, there has to be some changes. There ha there has been
some money that has been spent in avenues that it shouldn't have been spent in. I'm looking I'm standing in one of them right now. Um but we've got to make changes and they're going to be hard changes. They're going to be hard changes on the systems and they're going to be hard changes on y'all. But at the
end of the day, we voted on y'all to make these decisions and not for six, seven, eight, nine, ten months. And as a citizen, I'm exhausted with it. I want to know whether I got to negotiate a contract that the sheriff will never sign or if I've got to ask and pull money and get into your budget and find
that money. And that's where we're at today. It's not a matter of make a decision. I respect getting the thing from the county, but I'm going to tell you, I called some of these county commissioners and they don't want to give us any money. That's what they told me. Basically, they told me they got
fire stations to build that they can't afford to build. So, I don't know that we're that's going to be a solution to us. And if it is, one of them can stand up here and tell me where their pot of gold is cuz I'd love to know. But I want to talk about where do we get
the funding to fund our safety and where is that on your priority list? Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Can I just remind the audience Miss Kit, I just want to remind that Mr. Harrison had asked and he actually Mr. Abbott is
going out to to get the state to hopefully transfer that property to us which would then give us more ability to raise money for grant through grants and that kind of thing. So, I just want to share that. >> Don't miss. >> Okay. I just want to share that because I'm watching it.
>> It it sounded as if you know we hadn't had that conversation, but Mr. Harrison did bring it up and we are waiting for the results of that. way beyond this issue. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Donna Arnold, I don't live in the city, but I am a city taxpayer on property and
I am a county taxpayer. I don't want our fire our fire department to go to the county. No one is surprised by that. I do think we can fund it as a city and I think we need to work on how to fund it. I don't have the answers, but I'll help you in any way that I can to get them.
Also, if we are just looking for someone to contract the management of it, it would still be city of Defuniac Springs Fire Department. And I've been told by the sheriff's department that it will not be city of Defuniaak Springs Fire
Department. It will be Walton County Fire Rescue. Can't have it both ways. We can either have a city fire department or we can have Walton County. Walton County Fire Rescue is funded by the board of county commissioners. So, we can't just turn it over to them without
you paying for all that management unless the board of county commissioners agrees to help fund it. There's no [clears throat] way. And if you're going to just contract with someone to run it, why haven't we went out and looked at other contractors? Why is the sheriff the only
person you're asking for a quote to provide that? If you want to have someone contract it out for you, put the bid out there like you would for other contractors and get quotes from others. Maybe another one could save us a million and a half. We can't just settle
with Mike for a million if that's what we're doing. You're trying to get rid of our fire department period and then skirt around the issue with some other kind of word salad. >> Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, we're going to close the floor for
comments and we will go ahead to the vote, please. >> So, we [clears throat] got councilman first. >> All right, couple of things. I I I have the the draft that that I was presented by the sheriff's department and walked
fire and there is no mention in here uh about a fire assessment. Um, and and this is the two-page thing that we've all received. There's no mention here about a fire assessment. There's only a mention of the city contributes $1 million annually
to the Walton County Sheriff's Office manage fire operations. Does it say where the city would get that money? So, there's no reference to an assessment. So yeah, I was not privy to that that um >> they didn't tell you that >> that that this is this is what we were
presenting. >> I don't recall if they did or not. I didn't make a note of it. You see my notes right there. Right. >> So what is said is irrelevant. >> What is on paper and presented to us and the only meeting we had with them is what is relevant.
>> Okay? And so I I don't mean to, you know, I'm not raising my voice. I'm just frustrated by this by this thing that um you know they've [clears throat] just discussed that this assessment would be ours and and and if so then why the hesitation to set a date for for the
first hearing for fire assessment and let me clarify that or actually Kobe if you would clarify the deadline the time res constraint we are under if we were to start the fire assessment study would you please explain again for
everyone's benefit benefit why setting a date is important to get within four weeks of advertising in be by a certain date. Would you clarify that please? >> Yes. Uh so because of state statute we have to advertise that hearing four
consecutive weeks prior to what to the public hearing. Public hearing is to adopt a resolution of intent an intent to do a fire assessment. Doesn't mean you have to just means you have to do that to move forward. In the same time period, you've got to get contracts with the property appraiser in the tax collector's office. Um, so that is all
due by March 1st. You have to have that done by March 1st. Our paper runs on Wednesdays. So running our paper for four straight weeks, that means that the the latest you could hold a public hearing is between February 25th, the day of the advertisement, which I wouldn't recommend, um, or March 30th,
the last day of the month. So you can have the hearing in between that time frame. Today is the last day in which we get to the paper because ads are due to the paper no later than Tuesday mornings um to get them in there and our paper runs on Wednesdays. So at the latest it
we would either do it tonight if that went forward. If it didn't we wouldn't or we would do it first thing in the morning to get to the paper. That's the that's the time frames we're dealing with. Those are the deadlines that you have to operate within. >> Okay. >> Let me ask him real quick. Are we
committed to the $40,000 if we decide to? >> No, sir. So, if you set a public hearing that does not emit you to the contract, that contract, I would say that contract needs to be brought up and approved within the next two meetings, the second at latest because it needs to start. We need that that study has to be
conducted. That data has got to be gathered. >> This is what we want to take up on this next segment of the meeting. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> Clarification. Uh, is there another paper to where if we didn't do it tonight or first thing in the morning, we could still meet that uh whatever
you're saying? >> The only other paper we typically advertise in is a Northwest Florida Daily News. >> Um, I don't know if that would meet the criteria or not for local paper. >> It would. >> Okay. >> Requires a fiveday that requires five days. So, uh, if you want to run the if you want to run the paper on the 4th, we
would have had to get it to them last Friday. Northwest Florida Daily News requires a five-day lead time before advertisements. >> Okay. And you said it had to be four consecutive weeks or just four consecutive >> four consecutive weeks. >> Weeks. >> Weeks.
>> And so any paper in this area would do whether it's Pensacola or >> No. No. It has to be a paper of local circulation. Historically that's been the Defic Springs Herald Beach Breeze or the Northwest Florida Daily News. Now, at this point, the daily or the Herald
Breeze is going to be the quickest because again, we have a one to two day notice. The daily the Northwest Florida daily news requires five day notice. >> So, I just wanted to get clarification on that for for the public's benefit and ours again. Uh, is there any harm in
setting a date and and possibly withdrawing that? >> No. >> At some point. Okay. >> No, there's no legal harm to come from the city. You can set the public hearing and cancel it before you have it. But if you don't advertise it, you can't have the public hearing. So, there's a lot of harm in not setting it. >> There's no motion on the floor right
this second. >> Well, I mean, not motion. I've already shut the floor down. >> Y'all are talking about this fire state. How much is >> we're going to bring that back up in just a minute. >> Okay. >> That's that's the second half. Hopefully, it's not second half, but it's the second portion of this meeting. But yeah, you you'll have your
opportunity here in just a few just a few minutes. >> All right. Um, >> so mayor, you have a motion and a substitute motion. The protocol is to vote on the substitute motion. If that passes, you will then vote again on
whether the substitute motion is adopted or fails. If the first vote fails, then you call for a vote on the main motion, which was to keep the fire department. So vote one that you're calling for right now is to substitute councilman
Skany's motion for councilman co for the motion I believe it was councilman Kosen wasn't it was it >> was councilman co >> councilman co made to the department so this is the motion to sub his motion in as the primary >> goes to sub in a motion to table the
issue until Mr. Townson received the information so that was a motion second uh and we'll be starting with Mr. beer bomb tonight, I believe. Um, all right. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> This is to table. >> This is the sub.
>> My answer is no. >> No. No. >> All right. So, that motion fails. So, now we immediately move to vote on the primary mo motion to keep the fire department. >> So, again, that motion fails. So, m all
in favor say I. This is on the >> Councilman Cosen's motion to quote keep the fire alarm. >> Yeah. >> I >> I >> I >> I carry. Thank you very much. Okay. Mr.
Mayor, can we recognize [applause] before we before we move on to the next item, can we recognize and if any council disagrees, I need to put on the record as a matter of procedure that this now would effectively rescend any prior motion
that has directed the city manager to negotiate with any third party entity, including North Walton Fire Rescue, about contracting or taking over to the city, but does not rescend any prior action for him to go to the county asking for assistance with funding or
otherwise. I want to be clear, you've undone one but not both. If the goal is to undo all of that, we need another motion. >> Okay. So, um, >> mayor, >> yes. Go ahead, Amy. >> I would recommend we undo it all and if
we want him to go deal with the, uh, county that we should give him separate direction after we've done all this. >> That's why I'm asking for clarification. I think he I think this motion, it would be inappropriate for him to go talk to the sheriff's office about taking over fire rescue in the city based on your
motion. But it would not be inappropriate for him to go ahead and go talk to the board of county commissioners based on your prior action to ask the board for assistance. So that's why I'm trying to get clarification so that he doesn't find himself in hot water outside of what y'all asked him to do.
>> Okay. So I don't want to consider assistance from the county. >> So well we already have that out there, right? So he he can still go to that February 10th meeting. >> Am I correct? >> That is that's how I interpret it unless this council undoes it. So,
[clears throat] we don't need a motion. >> No, I just want it recognized. He's not going to talk to third party entities like the sheriff, but he's still going to go ahead and present to the county. But if anybody ever disagrees, let's take a motion up on that to stop that. >> Go ahead. >> I'd like to know what would be the point
in going and talking to the BCC if we have agreed we were going to keep our fire department. >> Because you're asking, y'all send me to ask for additional funding to support the fire department. In other words, he's just going to go down there with his handheld out. >> That's what y'all tked him to do. Yes, sir.
>> Okay. Okay. >> All right. We need to take up a vote. >> I mean, unless some I mean, at this point, well, everybody knows that's understood. So, unless somebody wants to do a motion to reconsider that, I think you're good. >> Okay. So is the only direction that we
provided you was only to ask them to assist us if they can in any way for the millillage rate that the city residents are paying is for them to help us with our fire department. Is that correct? >> You just asked me to go and and ask for additional funding. We didn't talk about
how much. We didn't talk about how that's formulated. I've got my in my head what I'm going to ask and how I'm going to structure it. But in terms of how much to ask, >> could you explain it to me what what it is that you're what what that structure is? If my understanding the Argon Liberty receive 125,000 a year under the
fire ordinance of the county. Um so at a minimum 125,000 at a maximum. If we were proposed if someone proposed us to save us $900,000 a year, I would go ask for $900,000 because we're not going to get that savings anymore. So that's where I'm at in the range what I'm going to ask for. If we want more or less, you
know, I need to know a number. But that's that's where I was going with the direction I was given. >> Did Did they put you on the uh >> February 10th? >> Okay. So you are as our representative as they gave you to Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. Yes. >> That was it, Mr. Mayor. He said, >> mayor.
>> Yes. >> Can can council members make a suggestion on proposals that he could take to the BCC? >> Your your task to him, Councilman Kosum, was for him to go do that. And that's within his role as the city manager. If
the council wants to take that up and address it, um it's not on this. I mean, you have discussion, direction on the fire department. Um I think you've just made that decision unless we're reconsidering him sending him. If you have a proposal,
get with Mr. Townson, talk to him individually. Each one of y'all can do that, but it's ultimately his call what he takes to him or not based on the action of this council. So, every one of you can come talk to him privately and give him your thoughts. here. >> Is there any way to
say publicly what [clears throat] we think might be most beneficial to the city? >> As a suggestion for him to carry and speak in our behalf. >> I'm I'm going to recommend mayor and I'll let Mr. If council council members have a recommendation how to proceed,
I'd rather you take that up now because if I get five phone calls on five different directions, >> okay, >> we're not going to get anywhere. >> You got an option to do it tonight. you got an option to do it February 9th, but you those are your two time frames to do it. >> Okay. I'd like to know if and this is just if it doesn't hurt
to ask. Um they give the BCC gives the South Walton Fire Department a million dollars a year. >> I have no idea. >> Okay. >> So, just hold that thought. If it's not that exact figure, it's plus or minus a
little bit. >> Okay. So, if you asked, the BCC's already given us $750,000 a year. If you ask for 250,000 more, that would be the same
consideration they're giving. >> I wouldn't recommend it. I wouldn't recommend it. The 750,000 you're referencing is to the CRA trust fund. That does not in any way affect this general operating this. >> Okay. I'm not finished yet. >> Okay. Sorry. The BCC's already given the city
$750,000 a year that they're getting no benefit from because it goes to the CRA. If they gave us $250,000, if we eliminated the CRA and used that $750,000
that this that the county has given us, earmarked specifically for the fire department, and add $250,000 on top of that. If we would help ourself by eliminating the CRA,
I think the county might consider giving us the same consideration they are South Walton Fire Department. >> I would say you would lose that $750,000 immediately upon the CRA being terminated. >> Unless the county wanted to keep giving it to
us to as to help us get our fire department stood up with the 21st century. So they ask would be for the million dollars then. >> Correct. But but there's strings attached. Those strings attached are the elimination of the CRA and that those funds go to the fire department and the
fire department only. It none of the funds get deviated to general funds or anything else. It's fire department only. and and you could add to that contract the famous Clay Atkinson uh statement on all contracts is uh
>> well it would be an inter just so you know it'd be an interlocal agreement those are freely terminable by any local government on 60 days notice so >> okay so if >> that's automatically go away there's no contract magic there >> okay if we break the we break the rules we lose the assistance we put the money
right into the fire department and they will see that we're trying to help ourself run it by them. See what they say. What does it hurt? >> Well, I was just I'm just going to be frank while I was sitting here. I'm not going to run the CRA option by board of county commissioners. You didn't send me to do that. >> Okay.
>> It's not what you sent me to do. You sent me to ask for assistance to the fire department. If that's something the council wants me to do, I'm more than glad. >> You might be asked that question. >> Well, I can't I can't help what they'll ask me. >> Okay. >> All right. Are y'all ready to move on? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. We're going to go to discussion of
the direction of public hearing for resolution of attentum assessment for fire services. >> Council Harrison is welcome to bring his motion back up at this time if he wants. Says it is a different board and a new agenda item. Yeah, I don't know if I'd
have it worded exactly the same, but along the lines, I make a motion that we set a hearing a fire assessment hearing date. That appropriate >> public hearing you got to add to it, Mr.
Go ahead and set for a first hearing date. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion. Second question, comments. All right. Comments from anybody regards to the assessment date. >> We need to Well, I mean, you know the
date has got to be at this point. You want to go ahead and tell them where you want? >> Oh, I mean, I'm saying we can y'all need to say it and I can stick it within the range or y'all can pick a date. Go ahead and set. >> I If I were you, I would I would not have them give you a specific day today in case you can't make one of the paper runs or in case there's another problem.
Let's go ahead and let you set it within the available range. >> Time is up. >> Okay. So, how many days we looking at here? four. Well, yeah, four. February 25th, February 26th, February 27th, and February 28th. That's a Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, Saturday. >> Which whichever date gives you the most comfort to to >> we'll let him coordinate that as is available for your schedules as well as the advertising. >> I know you've already talked with uh the the Herald and Gary has assured you that
this can be in this. >> Yeah, we'll if if this gets approved, we'll send it over first after this meeting. this week's paper. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> I. >> Eyes carry. Thank you very much. Uh this
time we'll open the floor for any other citizen comments. We ask you to keep it to three minutes or less >> on these two special meeting items. >> They got to be on this. >> Well, yeah. Because you're it's not general public comments, not >> Okay. All right. This will be in regards to the two things we just covered.
>> Do what? Other words, it has to do with what we've discussed on the fire department and >> Oh, yeah. It does have something to do with Okay. Michelle K, >> citizen. Um, mayor, since I can't address council members, I'm going to address you. [laughter]
[clears throat] >> Um, somebody up here just spoke a a very long time about basically like monopoly puzzle, trying to move things around and make decisions for other people or asks. Um, I must say as a citizen that some of those things that were talked about need
to go back to elementary 101 on learning what you can and can't do and what you can and can't say because that was literally on like a borderline of corruption of trying to move the parties around. So, um, I also will say that the CRA
will be dumped like a hot potato with the county. I want their $700, no offense. >> Mhm. I want to see it spent on our infrastructure and I think they would be happy to do that. I want it spent on our fire department, but I think going to them with a wiggle waggle, you do this,
you do that, you give me this, that border lines on a little bit of corruption I don't think any of y'all want to be involved in. >> So that's all I would say. Thank you. [clears throat] >> Anyone else on the fire or the assessment? Yes, >> Randy Lner, LHT ne. I just want to first
say thank you for putting this to bed, making the right vote. Um, and I will be giving these commissioners heck to make sure that you guys I'll I will fight just as hard to get money even though I don't live in the city limits today. I care just as much if not more about this
city as you. >> I'll fight just as hard to make sure that y'all get what you need. I do like Councilman Cosens and I'm not trying to start a CRA fight, but I think that's something to really consider because I think that it is going to go a long way to show, look, we're we're willing to do
whatever we've got to do. And if it's got to go just to that fire department, you can get your fire both your fire departments built in what, four, five years, have it all done. I think this is a great opportunity to move forward. So, I'm glad that it's over for a little
bit, but I'll be at the county meetings doing everything I can to make sure you've got what you need. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> All right, we're going to call this meeting ajourned. >> [laughter]