Commissioners discuss raising LOSAP benefit and explore $3M financing for Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad

During the budget work session, commissioners considered two items affecting volunteer emergency services: a proposal to increase LOSAP benefits for long-serving volunteers and a request to finance a significant renovation for the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad.

Commissioner (speaker 4) proposed raising the LOSAP benefit for volunteers aged 60 with 20 years of service from $300 per month to $500 per month and suggested changing the payment mechanism so the LOSAP trust would reimburse the county for benefits. "We're going to raise the low SAT benefit for 60 years of age, 20 years of service, from 300 a month to 500 a month," the commissioner said. Staff and legal counsel were asked to present the recommendation to the LOSAP board and return with legal guidance and implementation steps.

Separately, the board discussed changing the county's fire & rescue revolving loan fund and addressing a renovation need for the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, estimated at roughly $3.5 million. Policy changes adopted earlier raised the per-loan limit from $1 million to $2 million and increased the revolving-fund cap to $8 million. Commissioners asked staff to develop a plan that could combine a $2 million loan under the revolving policy with approximately $1 million in additional financing (via fund balance or a similar one-time mechanism) so the squad could proceed without resorting to commercial borrowing.

Commissioners requested more detailed financial analysis, repayment schedules and an assessment of the squad's on-hand resources before any final appropriation. Staff committed to return next week with an implementation mechanism and numbers.

The board did not adopt a final appropriation at the meeting; instead, it directed staff and legal to prepare options for the LOSAP board and for commissioner consideration.