LaCrosse keeps fire station

LACROSSE – Now that the small Town of LaCrosse, Florida, has finalized their 2015/2016 fiscal year budget, some issues relating to their fire services have finally been settled, while some remain to be negotiated.

The town, which houses fire/rescue services for District 22, will continue to maintain its fire station for the 94-sq.-mile district, most of which is in unincorporated Alachua County. In order to do so, the town council had to come up with an additional $50,000 over the $140,764.59 that Alachua County pays the LaCrosse for fire/rescue services.

Once the Alachua County Board of County Commission (BOCC) denied the town their requested increase on Aug. 13, the town council had to seek funding elsewhere. Since the millage rate hadn't been raised in LaCrosse for 35 years and was the lowest in the County at 2.7173 mills, the town council voted unanimously on Aug. 24 to ask for an increase to 7.7173 mills.

The additional $50,000 expected to be earned by the increase was earmarked to pay for another trained fire person, which would provide two-person coverage 24/7, and to provide modest salary increases for their full-time personnel.

Although the council was not able to pass the requested five mill increase, on Sept. 21 they did approve an increase of three mills, bringing their new millage rate to 5.7173. The council also voted to use $20,000 from their reserve funds to supplement the remaining shortfall.

“This is something we can do for this year,” said Mayor Dianne Dubberly, “but the town cannot afford to continue to supplement the fire station in the future. We will have to come back and ask for a two mill increase for the 2016/2017 fiscal year,” she said.

The council also voted to authorize another $20,000 to be expended from reserves to help bring the fire station building up to code, said Dubberly. Electrical repairs, a small roof repair, power washing the building and painting are all expected to be scheduled according to Dubberly.

“Most of our citizens who questioned the reason for such a large millage increase in one year were satisfied to learn that the millage rate increase was for the purpose of maintaining local fire/rescue services,” said Dubberly. “One of our business owners said he would have to close up shop if fire services were not provided locally,” she said. “And of course the people living in the unincorporated areas would not have seen a millage increase as they were already part of the county's Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU).

Still up in the air is a decision regarding a pumper truck the county offered LaCrosse as part of their agreement for continuation of county fire services funding. During BOCC discussion Vice-Chair Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson proposed giving the pumper to LaCrosse with a full tank of gas. However, Commissioner Ken Cornell proposed the tanker be returned to the county if the Town of LaCrosse ceases to provide fire/rescue services in the future.

“We have a pumper and engine or tanker truck in LaCrosse already,” said Dubberly. “What we need is a four-wheel drive vehicle for quick medical emergency response and the ability to get to homes located on dirt roads filled with potholes,” said Dubberly. “We have some concerns about the condition of the vehicle the county wants to provide us, but we thought we could sell it to help us purchase the four-wheel drive vehicle if the county's vehicle is not in better condition than our own. With Commissioner Cornell's comment, we will not be able to do that.”

LaCrosse Fire Chief Paul McDavid and Councilman Tom Ewing are still negotiating with Alachua County Fire Chief Bill Northcutt on that issue, said Dubberly.

Meanwhile, the LaCrosse Town Council is expected to meet again on Oct. 12 to consider modest raises for their chief, assistant chief and full-time fire personnel and to learn the outcome of negotiations with Northcutt regarding the tanker.

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