City Managers Fire Protection Proposal

City Of Statesboro

Proposal For Fire Protection Services

Section of the Service Delivery Agreements

December 14, 2007

December 14, 2007

Memo to: Mayor and City Council

From: George A. Wood, City Manager

Dennis Merrifield, Fire Chief

Re: Recommendation on Amendment to the Fire Services Section of the Service Delivery Strategy

As you have read in the December 6, 2007 Statesboro Herald, the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners voted on December 4th to terminate the fire services agreement with the City of Statesboro effective July 1, 2008, or in a little over six months. We want to be sure that all of us understand the fire protection system as it exists today, the background on how it was established, the legal process that is to be followed to change it, and the operational impacts of those changes on the fire suppression services throughout Bulloch County, including Statesboro. Then, we want to present you with an option for changing those services that is markedly different from that of Bulloch County, which we will refer to here as the Bulloch County Plan, or BCP. We believe our proposal is fairer to all the taxpayers of Bulloch County, and provides a higher level of protection at a lower total cost to taxpayers than the BCP.

This report is divided into four sections, and has numerous attachments, so that you can see the source documents. The four sections are: Background, Legal Process to be Followed, City Staff Proposal and Recommendations for Fire Services Amendment, and Questions on Details of the Bulloch County Plan.

BACKGROUND

On September 11, 1985, the City and County entered into a very simple two-page contract for fire protection services. (Exhibit A).
In March, 1999 the Service Delivery Strategy Agreement on Fire Services was adopted, as required by House Bill 489, which is codified in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated as 36-70-20, et seq. (Exhibit B). This agreement calls for the City of Statesboro Fire Department to protect the City of Statesboro, and a fire service district of properties outside the City, within five miles of any Statesboro fire station. The County and City will agree on the amount to be paid to the City for this annually. The agreement further states that all nine fire departments will provide mutual aid, and that the Statesboro Fire Department, for $774.33 per month, will respond to ALL structure fires anywhere in Bulloch County.
On September 4, 2001 the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners adopted an Amending Resolution changing the special fire district boundaries and authorizing the continuance of payments to Statesboro. (Exhibit C).
In a memo dated January 26, 2006 Chief Steve Vezo of the Brooklet Fire Department sent a written request to the Statesboro Fire Department stating that he could not cover the Brooklet Fire District (including the City of Brooklet) between 6:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday; and requested that the Statesboro Fire Department respond to all calls (not just structure fires) within that district. He copied the Bulloch County Public Safety Director. (Exhibit D).
On February 9, 2006, the City Manager responded to his request that he was asking that we tax the citizens and businesses of Statesboro and our Fire District to provide FREE fire protection for the citizens and businesses of Brooklet and his fire district. That was not possible, nor was it fair to the people who have paid for this service. The County Manager and Public Safety Director were copied on this letter. (Exhibit E).
The Statesboro Fire Department continues to respond to fire incidents outside the Statesboro Fire District where few, and sometimes, no Bulloch County fire stations respond within their own assigned territory.
Meetings were held beginning in the Spring, 2007 between the Mayor, City Manager, Commission Chair, and County Manager discussing the City’s request to renegotiate the Agreement on Fire Services, as the City Council had agreed upon. At those meetings the County notified the City it had hired a consultant to look at fire services in the County.
As part of the County’s budget process, the City Manager made an oral and writtten formal request for a new funding formula to the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners (Exhibit F).
In the Bulloch County Manager’s proposed Budget, he agreed in principal with the City’s methodology, but proposed to phase-in the adjustment over a four-year period. Apparently, while recognizing the taxing inequity, he was not prepared to equalize the tax burden for city residents (who are also county residents), thereby requiring them to continue to subsidize those county residents in the five-mile area just outside Statesboro. (Exhibit G).
At the same time, the County Manager proposed a 1.75 mill increase, and no rollback of the additional taxes from the re-evaluation of all taxable property. This meant that City residents got the same County tax increase as other county taxpayers, AND no relief from an inherently unfair system for funding fire protection.
The Mayor and City Council agreed to continue the contract under the current terms for one more year, but made it clear that was the last year we would do so. Our taxpayers had to have relief from this unfair burden.
The City proposed a phase-in that would help the County Commission get through this first year, but recoup the money fully over a five-year period. The County refused to do this. (Exhibit H).
Four meetings were held to discuss the agreement. The County wanted to wait on their fire consultant’s report. The Mayor reiterated that the City wanted the matter resolved no later than January, 2008, as we both needed to know how to prepare budgets for FY 2009, to begin July 1, 2008. Budget preparation for both begins in January of each year.
On September 13, 2007, Mayor Hatcher wrote Chairman Nevil with the City’s formal request to enter into renegotiations of the Service Delivery Strategy for fire services, as required by Georgia law (OCGA 36-70-20, et seq.) (Exhibit I.)
On October 8, 2007, Chairman Nevil wrote Mayor Hatcher a letter acknowledging his letter, and agreeing to renegotiation. (Exhibit J.)
During these negotiations the County Manager stated that it was Statesboro’s job to inform the public about the changes and why they were necessary. The City responded by including a two-page article in its Fall, 2007 Quarterly Newsletter explaining why the funding formula was unfair and needed to be changed. This newslettter was mailed to all utility customers of the City (inside and outside the City), as it is every quarter. Please review this article, as it gives a clear explanation of the unfairness of the current system on one page, with an accompanying map. (Exhibit K.)
The last meeting between the City and County was a meeting between the City Manager and County Manager, in which they exchanged written proposals and concerns.
The City was never notified that the County Manager had made a decision to recommend that the contract be cancelled.
On December 4, 2007, the County Manager proposed, and the County Commission voted unanimously to end the agreement for fire service effective July 1, 2008 (the new fiscal year), and announced it will develop its own fire department.
The County Manager emailed the City Manager on December 5, 2007 asking the City Manager to call him about the fire service agreement.
The County Manager and City Manager talked briefly on December 7th, and the County Manager indicated he was sending a letter December 10th explaining the action taken. He offered to explain why the County had taken this action. The City Manager said that since the matter had already been voted upon by the County, he just needed to see it all in writing. The information should be forwarded to the City so the City could review it and take action.
The County Manager sent the City Manager a letter regarding the action of the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners on December 10th, but it included no details of the County’s fire protection plan. (Exhibit L.)
The City continues to have repeated calls for mutual aid outside the Statesboro Fire District where the County fire departments respond after we arrive, respond without adequate personnel to fight the fire, and it some cases never respond at all. (Exhibit M.)

This is the order of events. Now let’s discuss what the current fire protection system in Bulloch County is, and who pays for it. The current system in FY 2008 has the City of Statesboro paying $2,233,949 for the operating and capital budget for the Statesboro Fire Department. Of that, the taxpayers in the Fire District will pay $628,202.08, and Statesboro taxpayers will pay $1,605,746.92. That covers Statesboro and the five-mile ring around our two fire stations. What about the rest of Bulloch County? The FY 2008 Budget for Bulloch County for fire protection is $133,000 for operating expenses. There is $233,969 for capital outlay, with $100,000 from a federal grant, and $133,969 from SPLOST. Without the grant, it totals only $266,969.

It gets worse. That $133,000 is not paid solely by the taxpayers outside the Statesboro Fire District and the City of Statesboro. That $133,000 is paid out of the County’s General Fund. That means that taxpayers in the City of Statesboro and the Statesboro Fire District are paying a large percentage of the property taxes to pay for the fire protection for those departments as well, even though they don’t pay for any of our fire protection. The County will claim that the City is getting mutual aid from these other 8 fire districts, and therefore should help pay for them. However, those 8 fire departments are getting mutual aid from us, and are paying only a fraction for our department. The only payment is a paltry $774.33 per month. And our taxpayers are paying a large percentage of that.

In summary, the dependable fire service in this county is funded solely by the taxpayers of the City of Statesboro, and the taxpayers of the Statesboro Fire District. Everyone else is living off of our fire department. The current contract calls for mutual aid, where the City rarely calls the other 8 districts, but they call for the City all the time. Further, the current contract obligates the Statesboro Fire Department to respond to every structure fire in Bulloch County. When we go to these, we are sometimes the only fire department that responds, or the other fire departments sometimes respond late, and sometimes with inadequate personnel.

Given the growth of the City, and of the Fire District, this simply cannot continue from a financial or an operational standpoint. It is an unfair tax burden, and it removes essential resources from this City and Fire District to fight fires that should be fought by the other 8 fire departments. We are now responding to more calls outside the City than inside. (Exhibit N.)

LEGAL PROCESS TO BE FOLLOWED

These negotiations technically are to amend the existing Service Delivery Strategy Agreement between the City of Statesboro and Bulloch County entered into in 1999. HB 489 was adopted in the 1997 Session of the Georgia General Assembly. It was a major piece of legislation that mandated that cities and counties systematically review each and every governmental service. The legislative intent is very specific: OCGA 36-70-20 states: “ The intent of this article is to provide a flexible framework within which local governments in each county can develop a service delivery system that is both efficient and responsive to citizens in their county. The General Assembly recognizes that the unique characteristics of each county throughout the state preclude a mandated legislative outcome for the delivery of services in every county. The process provided by this article is intended to minimize inefficiencies resulting from duplication of services and competition between local governments and to provide a mechanism to resolve disputes over local government service delivery, funding equity, and land use. The local government service delivery process should result in the minimization of noncompatible municipal and county land use plans and in a simple, concise agreement describing which local governments will provide which service in specified areas within a county and how provision of such services will be funded.” As you work through these negotiations, that is what the City and County collectively are to develop. That is your collective charge from the Georgia General Assembly. And it serves the public very well.

The statutes include a provision for the future amendment of this Service Delivery Strategy Agreement, as circumstances change. That is the case here. The development of a fire protection system is fundamentally about risk assessment and management of those risks. One has to understand what the potential risks are, the probability of occurrence, and the best method to deal with each such occurrence, within the financial resources the community can reasonably afford. You should take into account where the population centers are, where the major buildings are, which contain hazardous chemicals, which are critical to public health (hospitals and nursing homes), which contain large numbers of vulnerable populations (hospitals, nursing homes, k-12 schools), which have large, concentrated populations (college and university classrooms and dormitories, k-12 schools, retailers, apartment complexes, factories), which have multi-story buildings, or large expanses requiring a ladder truck (hospitals, universities, schools, factories, churches, retail shopping centers, and major apartment complexes), which are near trains that can derail, carrying what chemicals? Which are near major highways, carrying trucks hauling what chemicals that can spill or explode? Which have internal sprinkler systems and which do not? Which have access to a public water supply with water lines and water storage towers sufficient to fight any fire? Which must rely on ponds for water, or tanker trucks to haul it in? These are just some of the assessments you must make in designing an adequate system.

What has changed since 1985 when this agreement was first reached? Statesboro’s population has doubled, the enrollment at GSU has doubled, there are numerous on-campus housing units (Kennedy Hall, Eagle Village, Southern Courtyard) that have been built at GSU, as well as a Continuing Education/Performing Arts Center, a RAC, an expansion doubling Henderson Library, the new IT School, the new Communications Building, the new Education Building, the Nursing/Chemistry Building, and the Technology Building. There have been major apartment complexes added, including Campus Courtyard, Sterling University, Cambridge, the new one under construction near Cambridge, the Garden District, Copper Beach, the Exchange, and the Woodlands. The new hospital has been built. Brampton Avenue has exploded with commercial growth. There are two major hotels being constructed (Holiday Inn and Spring Hill Suites by Marriott). The Comfort Inn and Suites was added, then expanded. Southern Crossing, with big-box retail is now under construction. Statesboro Mall has expanded, as has Carmike Theatres. Statesboro High School is expanding to 1,800 students, and a two-story configuration. New residential subdivisions have been added, such as Moss Creek, PeppeRidge, Myrtle Crossing, Whispering Pines, and two new developments on US 301 North. Additional subdivisions have already been approved off of Cawana Road.

Now let’s look at the growth outside of Statesboro. Perimeter Center Industrial Park has filled up. Gateway Industrial Park has added WalMart Distribution Center, Briggs & Stratton, Viracom, the Sack Company, and others. The DABC (Development Authority of Bulloch County) has purchased an additional 294 acres and put in water/sewer to Phase II of Gateway Industrial Park, so more industrial concerns should locate there. We are negotiating with the Flying J, Inc. for a major facility at I-16 and US 301 South. A lot of student housing has been built outside the city (Talon Lake, Eagles Landing). Residential construction has exploded in the Statesboro Fire District and just beyond it. Irongate, Hazelwood, the Burkhalter Road area, Hunters Run, and others too numerous to name have sprung up. New elementary and middle schools have been built. Nursing homes have been built. The airport has been expanded. Brodie Meter has taken over the old Emerson Electric Plant.

Given all of this growth, no one can argue that the circumstances have changed dramatically, and that a renegotiation of the fire services strategy is long overdue. Much of this growth has taken place just since 1999, when the Service Delivery Strategy Agreement was signed. The City had to add a second fire station in 2000 to help deal with this growth.

Please read in detail Exhibit O, which sets out the Georgia general statutes that govern these negotiations. It is critical to understand the process. We must meet the legislative intent, and the criteria spelled out in the statutes. Essentially, if the two bodies cannot agree on an amendment, either can call for mediation. All mediation sessions must be attended by at least a majority of both governing bodies. That makes them public meetings, so that the public can see how its fire protection services are being determined. That is appropriate. This is one of the two most important services any government provides. If mediation fails, either party can petition the Superior Court for a decision in this matter. Any decision of a lower court, of course, can be appealed to the Georgia Court of Appeals, and then to the Georgia Supreme Court. That is the negotiation process in a nutshell.

CITY STAFF’S PROPOSAL AND RECOMMENDATION FOR

FIRE SERVICES AMENDMENT

Enclosed as Exhibit P is the last draft of the proposal that the City Manager and Mayor made to the County Manager. It was developed with the assistance and full knowledge of the Fire Chief. Please read Exhibit P carefully, as it is a major part of our recommendation to you for resolving this matter.

These are the essential elements of our recommendation:

The City and County would mutually agree on the boundaries of the Statesboro Fire District to be protected by the Statesboro Fire Department, with all properties placed on a map, and coded for tax purposes as paying the identical fire district tax millage rate.
The Statesboro Fire District would include all the property within the City of Statesboro and the area within five miles of a Statesboro Fire Department station. The fire district tax levied and collected would be paid to the City of Statesboro at the end of every month. The City would establish a Special Revenue Fund, separate from other funds, deposit all such funds there, and pay all expenses to support the Statesboro Fire Department, including reasonable indirect costs, from that fund. Any funds not used at the end of a fiscal year would remain in this fund, and could only be used for future expenses of the Statesboro Fire Department. Since City taxpayers would be paying the same millage rate as non-City taxpayers within the Statesboro Fire District, the City of Statesboro would drop its millage rate by the millage rate levied in the Fire District. This assures every property owner pays equally for the service, based upon the value of the property being protected.
Since property taxes are not billed until October, and are not overdue until mid-December of each fiscal year that begins on July 1st, there will need to be interim cash funding for the operation until the taxes come in each year. It would be agreed that the City and/or the County would loan that money to the Fire District Fund each year, and that the Fire District Fund would repay the loan when the taxes are paid. The rate of interest on the loan would be only the rate that the City and/or the County gets on its overnight investment of funds. That rate is currently 4.75% for the City. Any funds in the Fire District Fund shall also earn the City’s overnight investment rate during the year.
The City and County may jointly change the boundaries of the Statesboro Fire District by mutual consent, and would work together on expansions of the district in the event the City considers the addition of a fire station.
By state law, the County would establish the fire district, and levy and collect the property taxes. The County would agree that the fire district tax would be the only source of revenue used to pay the operating budget portion of the payment to the City for the services provided under this Agreement. The County could use any portion of its SPLOST allocation as it deems appropriate to pay any or all of the unincorporated fire district area’s capital budget portion of the payment to the City for the services provided. The City could do the same for the incorporated City’s fire district area.
Any fees and charges for services such as burning permits, fire code inspections, excessive false alarms, hazardous material spills, or other fire service related activities would be paid into this Fire District Fund.
The County would agree to use all legal remedies available to a County Tax Commissioner to collect any and all delinquent tax accounts due the Fire District Fund.
The City would provide the same level of fire suppression response for all calls within the fire district as it does for identical calls within the City. The SFD would prioritize calls based upon accepted practice within the industry. The City would be designated as the fire department responsible for the area within the Statesboro Fire District.
The City would investigate the causes of a fire incident within the Fire District in the same manner as it does for any identical fire incident within the City.
The County would adopt the City’s standards for water supply, including pipe sizes, hydrants, valves, and other equipment, so that the water supply meets the same levels as those within the City. The City and County would mutually develop a fire suppression response plan using dry hydrants, ponds, and tanker shuttles to serve areas with inadequate water supplies. Statesboro would pay its prorata share for the necessary tanker equipment for this countywide fire suppression response.
The County would appoint the City Fire Marshal as the Fire Code and Life Safety Code enforcer within the Statesboro Fire District.
The City would provide the County with monthly reports on all incidents to which we responded that month.
The County would levy a special district tax on the Statesboro Fire District using a formula that adds the operating budget for the Statesboro Fire Department and the approved capital budget items in the City’s Capital Improvements Program Budget for the Fire Department, to determine the total cost. All major capital outlays would be prorated over the projected useful life of the building or equipment. The millage rate needed to cover this total cost annually would be computed, then levied by the County Commission on all property within the Statesboro Fire District, allowing for a small percentage of uncollectible taxes determined by the County based upon its normal ratios of uncollectible to collectible taxes.
The City would provide the County with a proposed budget by April 20th of each year. The parties would appoint a six-member Statesboro Fire District Advisory Committee, with three members appointed by each governing body. It would review and comment on the proposed budget by June 1st of each year.
The current assets of the Statesboro Fire Department remain assets of the City, as do any assets purchased in the future under this agreement.
There would be no change in mutual aid response from the Statesboro Fire Department, or any county fire department. However, this does not include answering any and all structure fire calls anywhere in Bulloch County. The City is not in a position to be the responder throughout Bulloch County. Mutual Aid is defined as being willing to assist another fire department in an emergency, IF you can safely send the equipment and personnel and still protect your primary coverage area. Given our growth, that is going to mean that we cannot respond to every call for mutual aid, just as the 8 county departments don’t always respond under mutual aid. And it definitely means that we cannot guarantee a response to every structure fire in a 682-mile coverage area. Our responsibilities inside the City and the Statesboro Fire District have grown too much to even consider that as an option.
The agreement would be effective upon adoption, and would run until June 30, 2008. It would renew automatically for one-year terms, but could be terminated by either party by written notice no later than February 15th of each year.
The phase-in on payments would be as set out in Exhibit H, so that the City is fully reimbursed for its additional costs over this five-year phase-in.

That is what the proposed agreement between the City and the County would provide. We would propose that the other 8 fire districts then be taxed at a millage rate necessary to provide the level of fire protection services the taxpayers in each district want and are willing to pay for. These 8 fire districts could share some costs among them, such as a prorata share of a County Fire Chief’s salary and overhead. This would more fairly distribute the costs for fire protection among all of the taxpayers of Bulloch County. It would provide a flexible system for increasing the level of fire protection services as an area experiences more growth. For example, the area between Brooklet has exploded with growth. The County has approved numerous subdivisions in that area, yet has provided no additional resources to the Brooklet Fire District. Why not implement a fire district tax in the Brooklet Fire District, and let the area have a greater level of protection comparable to an urban fire department? After all, the area is now urban in character. There are far more human lives and property to protect. Let them tax themselves to provide the needed level of fire protection.

We are somewhat puzzled that the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners would vote to end this agreement, yet provide the public with virtually no details of how they would provide fire protection either a) within the current Statesboro Fire District outside the City limits; or b) within the rest of the County, when no mutual aid will be available from the Statesboro Fire Department. Surely they did not think that they could take $628,000 out of the City’s Fire Department budget, and expect us to continue providing services outside the City limits?

We want to stress that under no circumstances would we recommend any reduction in the current staffing levels of the Statesboro Fire Department, regardless of how these negotiations turn out. We have documented for you the unprecedented growth within the City, as well as the areas immediately around us. We should be working together to design a fire protection system that best protects the public, at the least overall cost. We believe that the system we have outlined does that, and has worked well in other jurisdictions. It is a proven plan.

We recommend that you authorize the Mayor to send this Proposal to County Commission Chairman Nevil as the City’s formal proposal to the County, and ask for a formal response from the County by a date in January. If the two governing bodies do not agree, then we would begin immediately the public mediation process between the two governing bodies. This issue is too important to linger, and both governing bodies need to have a decision before we get too far into our annual budgeting process. Bear in mind that if mediation fails, we would need to file a petition to the Superior Court, a judge outside our judicial circuit would have to be appointed to hear the case, and then motions would have to be filed. This process can be lengthy. We would not worry about the County’s recent vote. Under the general statutes, neither party can unilaterally change the Service Delivery Strategy Agreement. We will conduct business under the existing agreement until the issue is either mediated, or the courts determine it for us.

QUESTIONS ON DETAILS OF THE BULLOCH COUNTY PLAN

That brings us to the last section of this report. While the City has set out a detailed plan herein for how fire protection services would be provided throughout Statesboro and Bulloch County, the County has yet to do so. The public knows where our stations are, what equipment we have, and how much staff is available. They know the financial benefit of the ISO Class 3 insurance rating. They know the exact distance from our stations to their property. There are numerous questions about the Bulloch County Plan recommended by the County Manager and voted upon by the County Commission on December 4th. Before the Mayor and City Council can adequately evaluate the Service Delivery Strategy for all of Bulloch County, including the City of Statesboro, we need to get answers to the following questions at a very minimum:

Why would the County Commission think it could cut about $628,000 out of the City’s budget and expect the City to continue providing responses to fires outside the City limits?
Why should the City continue to provide “mutual” aid outside the City limits, when the Bulloch County Fire Department can’t cover what it has now, and will be taking on the five-mile area on July 1, 2008?
The BCP cuts about $628,000 from the City’s budget. Why would the County Manager be quoted in the Dec. 6th Statesboro Herald as saying “...the move ‘should not put a burden on the city tax payers.’”?
When the City no longer provides any response to fires outside the City limits effective on July 1, 2008, what Bulloch County fire stations will be in place, in what locations, with how many full-time firefighters around the clock, to provide fire suppression services to the residences, businesses, industries, k-12 schools, nursing homes, churches, the airport, Ogeechee Technical College, and vehicular crashes in the rest of Bulloch County?
What aerial (ladder) trucks owned by Bulloch County will be available for service on July 1, 2008, and where will they be stationed? How many full-time personnel will be trained and assigned to them around the clock? Ladder trucks are not only used for taller buildings, but laterally to bridge over the flat roofs of larger buildings such as schools, factories, nursing homes, office buildings, and churches.
There are documented incidents of delayed response, or even no response from the current Bulloch County fire departments to fire incidents inside their districts. How will that change on July 1, 2008?
The Brooklet Fire Chief nearly two years ago wrote Statesboro officials requesting that SFD respond to ALL fire calls in his fire district, because they could not provide adequate responses. How will this new plan address this problem, when no response will be coming from Statesboro?
The Bulloch County Board of Education has just built a new Southeast Bulloch High School. It is within the Brooklet Fire District. Given the Brooklet Fire Chief’s letter indicating he can’t cover the daytime fires, how will this high school be protected after July 1, 2008? How will all the schools such as Langston Chapel Elementary and Middle School, and William James Middle School be protected after July 1, 2008?
Why would County taxpayers need to pay for a fire chief, and a director of public safety, as Mr. Wynn is quoted as saying? Isn’t he already in charge of the fire departments? Isn’t he already a Georgia certified firefighter? How much will this cost for salary, benefits, vehicle and equipment?
How did the County arrive at the quoted figures of $800,000 to $900,000 to operate this fire department? Is there a detailed operating budget that spells out the actual anticipated expenses? What are the staffing levels for full-time personnel covered by this estimate? What kinds of shifts will they work, and how many shifts will the schedule require?
How will the budgeted personnel be stationed in Bulloch County on July 1, 2008?
Properties currently located in the five-mile area protected by the 32-man, full-time firefighters of the Statesboro Fire Department have an ISO Class 3 fire insurance rating, that lowers property insurance premiums. They are by definition within five-miles of one of the Statesboro Fire Department’s stations. On July 1, 2008, what Bulloch County fire stations will respond to these properties, what will their level of full-time staffing be at each station, and what equipment will be available to each of those stations? Will these stations be within five miles of all of this currently protected area? If not, which areas will be left with less fire protection, and how will that decision be made?
Are any new fire stations going to be required under the Bulloch County Plan? Will they be designed to accommodate EMS, Rescue, and dormitory space, as well as the fire apparatus? What is the estimated cost for each station? How long will it take to design, bid, construct, and occupy each station?
Which of the current stations will need to be relocated, renovated, or expanded under the Bulloch County Plan? What is the estimated cost for each?
How many additional fire pumper trucks will need to be purchased? Which station will they be assigned to? What is the gpm pump capacity design, and what is the estimated cost of each? How long will it take to design, bid, order, and receive delivery on each?
How many additional fire tanker trucks will need to be purchased? Which station will they be assigned to? What is the tanker capacity, and what is the estimated cost of each? How long will it take to design, bid, order, and receive delivery on each?
How many additional aerial (ladder) trucks will need to be purchased? Which station will they be assigned to? What will the maximum design horizontal and vertical reach be, the rated extended load capacity, and how much will each one cost? How long will it take to design, bid, order, and receive delivery on each?
NFPA and OSHA (CFR 1910.134) prohibit firefighters from entering a burning structure until there are at least four firefighters on the scene, so that two can go in, while two are in a position to assist or rescue them. How will the Bulloch County Fire Department meet this “two in/ two out” rule?
According to the December 6th Statesboro Herald article, the County Public Safety Director is quoted as saying: “We have got to look beyond the (five-mile radius) around Statesboro. Citizens deserve a higher level of service and lower ISO ratings.” The people in the five-mile radius get a response from a paid professional fire department, and a Class 3 ISO rating, because they pay for it. When the Bulloch County Plan goes into effect July 1, 2008, what “higher level of service and lower ISO ratings will they receive?” Is the County going to give them a response from paid personnel in greater numbers than the Statesboro Fire Department, or respond more quickly? Are they going to give them a Class 1 or 2 insurance rating? That would be the “higher level of service and lower ISO ratings” he mentioned, would it not? They are the only people in Bulloch County paying a fire district tax. Is the County going to give them a worse ISO rating (and therefore higher insurance premiums) and a slower, or perhaps non-existent response from a fire department, then take their money to disperse better fire protection out into the County for people who currently pay virtually nothing? Is that a fair and equitable means of taxation for the level of service received?
What property tax millage rate will the County Commission levy to fund the Bulloch County Plan? Since property taxes aren’t paid until December, but the fiscal year begins in July of each year, what source of cash will the County use to pay the bills for the first six months of every year?
Since the property owners in Statesboro will get absolutely no benefit from the Bulloch County Fire Department, it would be unfair to tax them to support two fire departments. So, it cannot be funded from the County’s General Fund. What source of revenue will be used to pay for the Bulloch County Plan? Will the tax burden be proportional to the amount of actual benefits received? If so, does that mean that the County will levy different millage rates on different fire districts within the County? If not, does that mean that taxpayers in rural Bulloch County will be paying a higher fire district tax to subsidize suburban residential subdivisions, industries, OTC, the airport, and other areas nearer to Statesboro?
What impact will the Bulloch County Plan have on the recruitment and retention of industries to the existing Perimeter Center Industrial Park, the Gateway Industrial Park, and the 294-acre addition to the Gateway Industrial Park, all of which are located outside the City limits? What fire station will be assigned to protect them, how many full-time firefighters will be assigned to that station around the clock, and what trucks and equipment will be assigned to that station? What is the distance from that station to both industrial parks? Which Bulloch County fire stations will be assigned to backup the primary fire station, and how many full-time firefighters will be assigned to those trucks?

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the questions that need to be answered before you or the general public can have any idea of the County’s proposed plan. These are simply some of the basic questions that must be addressed by any such plan. Since the County has not shared that plan with the City, or the general public yet, but has voted unanimously to not continue the current arrangement, and not to accept our proposed arrangement, one has to assume that they have all these details worked out and are prepared to provide them shortly so the negotiation process can proceed.

Please call me if you have any questions or comments on this matter.