Bradford County commissioners heard more than two hours of public comment and a detailed presentation by Fire Chief Ben Carter on a proposed fire protection assessment that would fund staffing and operations, including a new station in Brooker.

Chief Ben Carter told the Board of County Commissioners the county’s fire-rescue operations have fallen short of national staffing benchmarks and that response times fall well behind NFPA guidance. “Our average response time right now is 9 minutes and 18 seconds,” Carter said, and he summarized a long-running staffing shortfall that left the county operating fewer ambulances and fewer full-time employees than an earlier 2020 operations plan envisioned.

The assessment in the resolution presented to the board would set a residential rate of $167 per dwelling unit for fiscal year 2025–26, a nonresidential rate of $0.11 per square foot and a $47 charge for vacant, nonagricultural parcels. Chief Carter said the $167 rate “breaks down to $13.92 per month,” and that the charge is designed to fund added personnel to improve coverage, including two positions per day to staff a new Brooker station funded by an $850,000 state appropriation. He also outlined an appeals process for properties that the county property appraiser’s records misclassify and listed exemptions for churches, nonprofits, government-owned buildings, 100% disabled veterans and households at or below the federal poverty guideline.

Why it matters: county officials and supporters said the dedicated revenue would stabilize staffing and cut long response times in parts of southwestern Bradford County, improving chances of saving homes and lives and making the county more competitive for business investment. Amber Shepherd of the Northeast Florida Economic Development Corporation said, “Fire and rescue isn’t just about emergencies. It’s about creating a safe, stable community where families want to live and businesses are willing to invest.”

Public comments at the hearing were sharply divided. Dozens of residents said the letter notices and timing of the hearing left many unaware and that the flat $167 fee is regressive for elderly and low-income households. Tammy McCarley told commissioners the assessment is “not fairness, equality, or justice for people who are older [or with] disabilities,” and several speakers said the county should use existing tax receipts or sales taxes instead of creating a new assessment. Adam Hudson, a lifelong resident, said he supports funding the service but urged safeguards for low-income residents: “I want somebody to show up if they need help.”

Other speakers cited perceived waste or questioned administrative choices. Retired firefighter Johnny Clark criticized department structure and pay, saying bluntly that the department has “too many… chiefs and not enough Indians,” and called for restructured staffing before a new assessment. Supporters, including residents and business stakeholders, argued the fee is modest compared with the potential costs of slower emergency response and that exemptions and a hardship process would protect vulnerable households.

Board action and next steps: during the meeting a commissioner moved to approve the resolution as read and another commissioner seconded that motion. Commissioners then discussed technical language in the resolution, including a clause that would allow an annual change of up to 4% without re‑mailing notices; the county attorney and the study consultant said any future change would still be an explicit board decision, but the board debated removing the 4% automatic-escalation language. A motion to amend the resolution to strike the 4% reference was made during the same session; the transcript records the motion and a second but does not record a final vote on the resolution or the amendment. No vote tally or final outcome appears in the transcript.

Details chief Carter provided about workload and outcomes include: 2024 call volume of 7,536 total incidents (1,223 fire-related); average scene time about 19 minutes 40 seconds; 32 structure fires last year with one civilian fatality; and a 39% return-of-spontaneous-circulation rate on cardiac-arrest calls (above the cited state average of 24%). He also described how the county has reallocated and repurposed vehicles and used grant sources for some purchases, and he emphasized that staffing, not equipment, is the primary gap.

The record: the attorney read the formal resolution titled “Resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Bradford County, Florida relating to the annual provision and funding of fire protection services and facilities,” which includes approval of rates and a direction to certify the assessment roll to the tax collector. Commissioners debated lien language and collection on the tax bill (the county attorney and consultant said statutes require the assessment, if collected on the tax bill, to follow lien collection practices). The board asked legal staff and the consultant to clarify certain wording and the impact on notification costs.

What’s next: because the transcript ends while the amendment is on the floor, the recorded public hearing and discussion did not show a final approval or rejection. If the board votes later to adopt or change the resolution it will determine whether the assessment appears on the 2025 tax bill and whether the 4% escalation language remains. The public record shows residents can seek exemptions or file grievances about property classifications through the county process announced by the fire marshal.