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LaBelle fire chief asks Hendry County for 'do not exceed' West Fire MSBU rate starting at Plan 3
Summary
LaBelle Fire Chief Brent Stevens asked the Hendry County commission to set a 'do not exceed' rate for the West Fire municipal service benefit unit (MSBU), proposing a starting point at Plan 3 with flexibility to lower it toward Plan 2, while commissioners reviewed a consultant’s community risk assessment.
Chief Brent Stevens of the LaBelle Fire Department asked the Hendry County Board of County Commissioners on June 10 to set a “do not exceed” rate for the West Fire MSBU, recommending the board start at Plan 3 and work toward a rate between Plan 2 and Plan 3 in coordination with the city.
“We are here to request today that the board make a do not exceed value. And we would request that it start at plan 3 with possibly a reduction down to plan 2 or somewhere in between,” Stevens said, referencing a financial analysis by Finch and Associates that had been circulated to commissioners.
Why it matters: The MSBU rate will affect property owners in the West Fire service area and fund emergency response and readiness. Commissioners and staff discussed a recent community risk assessment and standards-of-cover analysis that the county and consultant commissioned; several commissioners said the study contained useful data on response times and resource needs but omitted some concurrency details.
Key details: Commissioners and staff noted the study’s findings about NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards and the potential to strengthen LaBelle’s ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating. County staff asked the board to set a not-to-exceed figure at the workshop so the county can proceed in the budget schedule; staff and the chief emphasized they need to see where the city of LaBelle itself will land before finalizing a joint rate.
What was not decided: The board did not adopt a final MSBU rate tonight. Commissioners debated whether to set an upper limit higher so they can later reduce the rate (“we can always go down. We can't go up,” a commissioner said during the workshop), and several members urged caution because the city of LaBelle had not yet voted on a position.
Next steps: Staff will return with final rate language and interlocal considerations after LaBelle’s city officials finalize their position. Commissioners also discussed longer-term considerations, including whether the MSBU's capacity to fund NFPA-level readiness will become obsolete in three to five years without further planning and capital investment.
