Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Commission hears Accenture presentation on proposed fire-assessment rate increase; questions about exemptions and EMS funding
Summary
Consultant Accenture presented an updated fire-assessment study recommending a residential rate change; commissioners and residents raised questions about hardship exemptions, taxation treatment, and whether EMS costs can be funded through the assessment.
The High Springs Commission received a presentation from consultant Sandy Newbarth of Accenture on Resolution 2025-I, which would set rates for the city’s fire-assessment program for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025.
Newbarth said the updated study reallocates costs based on demand for fire response and recommends setting the residential assessment at $2.50 (up from $2.23 in the prior role as presented). She explained the methodology used household-response parity as the basis for a uniform residential charge: “We charge all residential the same because they get the same response. They don’t send a half a response to a small house versus a large house.” Newbarth said the city last updated its study in February 2008 and that the new apportionment reflects a roughly 9.71% drop in residential demand and an increase in nonresidential demand.
Newbarth reviewed exemptions the resolution would carry:…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
