Margate reviews proposed merger of its fire department with Broward Sheriff's Office amid debate over costs and staffing

At a City Commission workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, Margate officials, firefighters and representatives from the Broward Sheriff''s Office discussed a proposed merger that would move Margate Fire Rescue under Broward Sheriff''s Office Fire Rescue (BSOFR). The meeting was informational only; no formal action or vote was taken.

Supporters of the proposal, including the local union and Margate's fire chief, said a regional model would improve staffing, training and backup response when several calls occur simultaneously. Brian Palmer, president of Local 3080's assistant district union for Margate firefighters, told commissioners, "This is about sustainability, safety, and the future of Margate," and said the majority of union members support exploring a merger. Kevin Delacour, a union vice president, urged the commission not to delay, saying the change would "fireproof" services and provide better career paths for firefighters.

Broward Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue Executive Director Timothy Keefe framed the proposal as an "evolution and synergy," saying a larger regional system offers automatic CAD run-card responses, additional float units for backfill and a broader set of administrative services such as hiring, payroll, logistics and training. Keefe told the commission, "When you put the two together, you get a Reese's peanut butter cup," arguing that the combined resources would be stronger than the separate departments.

Margate Fire Chief Roberta Lorenzo, who has led the department since 2019, also said she supports the merger as a way to address near-term staffing and recruitment challenges. She flagged an anticipated wave of retirements and a thin applicant pool: "We do have 46 individuals with 20 plus years of service. Twenty-three of those individuals will be gone in three years or less," Lorenzo said, noting the difficulty smaller departments now face in attracting candidates and offering specialty career paths.

Opponents and skeptical commissioners focused on cost certainty, contract language and oversight. Commissioners raised that the draft agreement currently waives the 5% annual increase cap for the first two fiscal years and that certain cost categories (health insurance, workers' compensation, pensions and other post-employment benefits) are excluded from the cap. The BSO presentation included a projected total cost of roughly $22,400,000 for services; BSO said the year-one price is fixed as presented but that year-two implementation depends on a personnel "snapshot" and benefit elections. Keefe said caps for years three through five have been reinstated in recent negotiations, but commissioners said that some contract cities have seen much larger increases in practice and feared being "locked in" to unfavorable future costs.

Commissioners and members of the public also cited recent disputes between BSO leadership and other municipalities as a governance risk. Commissioner comments referenced Deerfield Beach and other contract cities that have publicly contested BSO price increases, and one commissioner said those situations make them wary of ceding oversight to an outside, county-level provider.

Speakers described operational benefits tied to regionalization: access to BSO's accreditation systems, regional logistics, heavy fleet maintenance, specialized teams (TRT, hazmat, air rescue) and an active training division. Keefe said BSO is dual-accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services and highlighted a high EMS satisfaction rating in BSO's audits.

Union and department leaders emphasized personnel impacts. Palmer said Margate's department has been historically underpaid compared with neighboring jurisdictions and that many firefighters face financial strain; he argued the merger would provide comparable benefits and greater career opportunities. Lorenzo and Keefe also noted that a larger organization can offer alternative assignments or light-duty roles that a small municipality may not have available for injured or medically limited employees.

City staff and commissioners raised alternatives and next steps. Several commissioners asked for more precise budgeting information, clearer contract language on caps and escalation, and guarantees on operational standards such as staffing levels. The workshop concluded without a vote; members of the union urged the commission to place the item on the next council agenda for a formal decision.

The discussion combined local operational details (station staffing and training) with broader fiscal and governance concerns. Commissioners signaled they will continue negotiations, ask for clarifying contract language on year-one and year-two costs, and seek additional written detail before any final action.

Meeting context: the session was an informational workshop; formal action was not scheduled. Commissioners repeatedly noted the choice before them was whether to continue pursuing a contract that would convert Margate's fire operations to a BSO-administered model or to pursue other options (renegotiated local contracts, interlocal agreements with neighboring municipalities, or internal compensation and recruitment measures) to maintain an independent municipal department.

Next steps noted by participants included continued contract negotiations led by the city manager and staff, incorporation of clarified cost caps into contract language, and scheduling a formal agenda item for a future commission meeting if the city manager and commissioners choose to proceed.