Fire Department Issues Dominate High Springs Commission Meeting

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs City Commission convened on Nov. 21, 2024, for a regular meeting, followed by a Community Development District (CDD) workshop with the Planning and Zoning Board. Central to the agenda were decisions concerning the city’s emergency rescue capabilities and adherence to new state regulations.

Declaring the Heavy Rescue Truck as Surplus

The meeting began with a discussion about the future of the city’s heavy rescue fire truck, a longstanding asset of the High Springs Fire Department. Fire Chief Joseph Peters confirmed an offer from Clay County to purchase the truck for $740,000, above its payoff amount of $550,388.

Peters said, “The offer on the table is from Clay County for $740,000. The current payoff on the heavy rescue, with our December payment made on Dec. 15, is going to be $550,388. If you decide to take the offer from Clay County for $740,000, that will give us a net surplus from the sale of $189,612.” The sale would leave the city with a $189,612 surplus, bolstered by insurance savings of $3,656 over nine months.

Peters also emphasized the need for a more compact and versatile rescue truck, citing challenges with the oversized vehicle, which is ill-suited to navigate narrow roads and suffers damage when doing so. Commissioner Wayne Bloodsworth asked if the firefighters agree with swapping the large truck for a medium rescue truck. Peters responded, “Firefighters are on board with everything 100 percent,” and he added that they actually made the decision.

City Manager Jeremy Marshall said, “There are some firefighters that make valid points on why not to get rid of it, but a majority of the firefighters I talked to are on board to get rid of it.”

Despite some dissent from Mayor Tristan Grunder and Commissioner Chad Howell, who questioned the decision to part with the vehicle, the Commission voted 3–2 to declare it surplus.

New Rescue Vehicles Approved

The sale proceeds of the heavy rescue fire truck are earmarked to partially fund a $280,000 medium-duty rescue truck and a $35,000 used backup truck, totaling $315,000. Peters assured the Commission that the medium-duty truck is four-wheel drive, lighter, narrower, and capable of carrying essential equipment from the heavy rescue. He noted that purchasing before Jan. 1, 2025, would avoid a significant price increase.

Peters said, “We looked high and low. We did a whole lot of research on medium-duty rescues, light-duty rescues, and we found a medium-duty rescue that really will suit this City for many years moving forward. It’s four-wheel drive. It’s a little bit narrower, it’s a little bit lighter and it’s got more than enough room to carry a lot of the equipment that is on the heavy rescue right now.”

The backup vehicle, previously owned by the City of Lakeland, will temporarily fill the gap until the new truck is delivered and could remain useful for up to a decade.

Peters said the total cost for the $280,000 medium-duty truck and the $35,000 backup truck will be $315,000. The amount available after the sale of the heavy truck is $193,268, leaving a balance of $121,732 for the City to fund. Peters added that the proposed used backup/temporary truck may still be useful for five to 10 years or longer. Peters said they could always put a different chassis on the “box” or back half of the vehicle.

Finance Director Diane Wilson said financing the debt for five years would require annual payments of $29,675, and payments would be $16,983 when financed for 10 years. Wilson said that would be an obvious savings over the current $83,839 scheduled to be paid each year through 2032 for the heavy rescue truck. Wilson said using $125,000 from ARPA funds is a third option, and that would save finance charges of $148,373 for a five-year loan and $169,835 for a 10-year loan. Wilson said the City currently has $863,051 in unspent ARPA funds, although $250,000 is already committed elsewhere.

City Manager Marshall recommended the five-year loan, but they needed to consider that the remaining APRA funds must be committed to something by Dec. 31, 2024, or they might eventually lose it.

Following further discussion, it was decided to split the cost between ARPA funds and a loan. Marshall said he liked that idea because it gives the City a chance to commit some of those ARPA funds and use it for a one-time purchase and lower the monthly or the yearly burden on the City.

Howell made a motion to move forward with purchasing both vehicles using a five-year loan and no ARPA money, not to exceed $325,000 total. Weitz seconded the motion, and she pointed out that ARPA money can still be used to pay off the loan early. The motion passed unanimously.

Ban on Public Camping

In response to a new state mandate, City Attorney Scott Walker introduced an ordinance prohibiting public camping or sleeping on public property. The ordinance was unanimously approved without discussion during its first reading.

This measure aligns with statewide efforts to address homelessness and public camping, ensuring compliance with state law.

Sunshine State BMX Event Permit

The Commission granted High Springs BMX a special event permit for the Sunshine State BMX State Series Qualifier in April 2024, allowing camping on city property during the event. The discussion highlighted the need for enhanced lighting at the venue to accommodate attendees.

CDD Workshop and Future Planning

Following a brief intermission, a joint workshop involving the Planning and Zoning Board and representatives of the proposed Bridlewood development provided a forum for community input. While no decisions were made, the two-hour session offered insights into development goals and potential impacts.

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