Beach Fire sets budget/ makes presentations
The Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Board of Fire Commissioners set a final millage rate and budget for fiscal year 2014-15 and made two presentations last Tuesday evening.
To support the budget in the amount of $14,644,364, the fire commissioners adopted a millage rate of 2.4800 mills, a slightly higher figure than the 2.3817 roll back rate. At their regular meeting, held directly after the budget approval, the procurement of three new Braun ambulances (not to exceed a total price of $600,000) was approved, and the financing of three more ambulances in the amount of $265,000 through BB&T at an interest rate of 1.63 percent was granted. Money for the capital equipment is coming out of reserves, but will be reimbursed.
“This resolution contains all of the references for the law and for the purchase and to your intentions to reimburse for future financing that is required under the revenue provisions,” said Beach Fire Attorney Richard Pringle.
Beach Fire also rescinded the prior surplus of the Community Emergency Response Team van. The action brings the 2004 van back to the official fire inventory.
The reason the van was surplussed in the first place was due to a prior administrative decision to have the FMB CERT organization pulled from the Beach Fire District umbrella so that it could be a non-profit organization, according to Fire Chief Darren White.
“There was a period where (former) Chief (Mike) Becker and (former CERT leader) Al Agathen was going to create their own corporation and become a not-for-profit so that they could go out and collect funds to support them. That never happened,” White said.
Fire Commissioner Carol Morris would like to see CERT become a more centralized service under Lee County Sheriff Office. She requested a discussion on CERT’s function at a future workshop.
Recently retired Deputy Chief Tom Edge was recognized and received the prestigious Fire Ax in a presentation for his 35 years of dedicated service. Edge is known as the longest tenured employee in the history of the Beach Fire Control District.
“He’s given of himself every third day for all those years and passed on a lot of valuable information,” said White, who mentioned Edge was his shift commander several years ago. “I personally wish him the very best in his retirement. He knows he is always welcomed here and part of the family.”
Edge joked about not receiving a watch for a retirement gift. He called his wife his new fire chief.
“At 25 years, I thought I’d get the watch. At 30 years, I said I’m definitely getting the watch. At 35 years, I still haven’t got the watch,” he said.
Capt. Ron Martin received a plaque for accreditation during a presentation afterwards. On July 8, the Center for Public Safety Excellence Peer Review Committee awarded Martin with the fire officer certification. He is one of only 207 fire officers in the nation to have obtained the designation.
The award came after a portfolio was comprised with efficiencies in seven areas: experience, education, professional development, professional contribution, professional memberships and affiliations, community service and technical competency in human resources, administration, health & safety, codes, inspections and planning, investigations, public education, training & development, operations & employment, emergency medical services and communications.
“With all this being said, Capt. Martin is only one of 223 fire officers in the world with this designation and one of only 30 in the state of Florida,” said White.
All commissioners congratulated both men for their accomplishments during their end-of-meeting remarks.
“I think we have a wonderful bunch of guys working for us,” said Fire Commissioner Betty Goodacre. “I hope they will be around for a long time.”