Brooksville council approves higher fire-assessment rates amid heated debate over keeping city fire department

Brooksville 'The Brooksville City Council voted 4'to'2 on Aug. 12 to adopt Resolution 25'15 setting the city''s fire protection assessment rates at the maximum shown in a recent consultant study, a move the council'said would bring assessment billing closer to the full cost of operating the fire department.

The vote came as residents, business owners and city firefighters urged the council to keep the Brooksville Fire Department intact. Many speakers said local firefighters provide faster responses and stronger neighborhood relationships; others and some council members raised concerns about long'term costs and whether the city can fund necessary equipment and paramedic staffing.

The resolution formalizes rates developed by Stantec Consulting and recommended by staff to reduce the subsidy from general revenues. Peter (Stantec), the city's consultant on the assessment study, told council the city currently recovers less than half of its fire-department costs through assessments and that a full cost recovery target in the study would generate roughly $2.2 million a year compared with roughly $1.1 million now. "We followed the calls'for'service methodology," he said, explaining that the study groups properties (residential, commercial, institutional) and allocates costs based on historic call volume.

Why this matters

The council's decision increases the proportion of the fire department's operating cost borne directly through property assessments rather than the city general fund. Council members said the change moves the city toward covering service costs more transparently, but several speakers cautioned that higher commercial assessment rates under county formulas could raise costs for downtown businesses if the city later consolidates with Hernando County.

Key votes and council direction

- Resolution 25'15 (fire protection assessments): Passed 4'to'1 in a roll call. Votes recorded: Council Member McKeithen 'Aye; Council Member Hallow 'Aye; Council Member Earhart 'Nay; Vice Mayor Bronson 'Aye; Mayor Tanner 'Aye. - After extended public comment and council debate, council later voted 4'to'1 to direct the city attorney to draft and transmit to Hernando County a proposed consolidation/interlocal framework for review. That motion instructed staff to coordinate with county counsel on draft terms for a possible consolidation and related mutual-aid contract language.

What council members and staff said

City Manager Trista Hendrickson told the council the assessment change would not immediately eliminate any general-fund contribution; "every municipality pulls from their general fund," she said, adding the amount the city must cover should drop if the council adopts full recovery rates.

Council Member Earhart and other opponents warned that keeping a city-run fire department will require major investments: paramedic staffing, equipment and repairs to an aging ladder truck were repeatedly cited. Council Member Earhart said sustaining the current department without raising the millage substantially would be difficult and said she backed consolidation.

Vice Mayor Bronson, Mayor Tanner and other council members emphasized that decisions should be carefully negotiated with the county and that any consolidation must protect existing staff and service levels. "If they're willing to do this and keep the crime out of that house that's caused problems for all the neighbors, and they're gonna beautify it in less than a year. That's this seems like a no brainer if we're really caring about the citizens," Bronson said of a separate code-enforcement item, reflecting the public's desire to preserve neighborhood safety and property values.

Public comment and firefighters'perspective

At least a dozen residents urged the council to retain the city-run department, citing response times, local knowledge and community ties. Jesse Ramirez, a Brooksville resident, said: "The Brooksville Fire Department is more than just a service provider. It is part of our history, our identity, and the very fabric of the city." Lance Felton, a captain at Brooksville Fire Department, told council the department maintains an ISO Class 3 rating comparable to the county and that firefighters train regularly: "We're an ISO rating class 3, same as the county," he said.

Other speakers argued consolidation would reduce local control and raise costs for downtown businesses. Richard Ross, a resident who supports consolidation, noted a technical distinction: "EMS is separate from the fire department," and said the county's insurance rating differences could affect rates.

Next steps and implementation risks

Council directed the city attorney and manager to coordinate with Hernando County counsel on a draft interlocal/consolidation proposal. Staff said the city must also secure a mutual-aid agreement by Sept. 16 to avoid unbudgeted charges when the county provides aid under the existing arrangement; the city manager warned that without a mutual-aid contract the city could face charges for county responses and that such a lapse could affect the city's ISO designation.

The council did not finalize a consolidation decision at the meeting; instead it asked staff to prepare draft terms and negotiate with the county so members can review concrete contract language. That direction passed 4'to'1.

Ending note

The council's votes reflect a split: move assessment rates to recover more of the fire department cost from beneficiaries, and separately pursue a formal agreement process with Hernando County rather than immediately dissolve the city department. The actions set up a months'long negotiation and implementation phase in which residents, firefighters and the county will push for concrete written terms covering staffing, equipment, station ownership, pension liabilities and assessment impacts on businesses.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 25'15 (fire protection assessments): approved 4'to'1 (McKeithen, Hallow, Bronson, Tanner in favor; Earhart opposed). - Council direction to draft consolidation/interlocal terms with Hernando County and return with proposal for council review: approved 4'to'1.