Miner vote mirrors Escambia commissioners

Yesterday, commissioners in Escambia County turned down the Staffing Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant — the same week that St. Johns County commissioners accepted the federal money; complete with pre-attached strings.

Although the Homeland Security grant used to comply with staffing, response and operational standards established by the NFPA and OSHA includes the full salaries and benefits cost for the twelve new positions, it only does so for 24 months — the recipient county must shoulder the cost for the third year.

Commissioner Mark Miner was the sole dissenting vote when the grant came before the commission for approval in the meeting on the Tuesday, March 15th.

Miner told Historic City News Editor Michael Gold during the break that his “no” vote did not mean that he didn’t support the opening of Station 15 — it was his concern about the conditions attached to the federal grant they were being asked to approve. “We really need to get into the budget process for next year to see where we are before making this kind of decision.”

Escambia County commissioners shared Miner’s concerns in what appeared to be an almost identical set of circumstances; according to published accounts that appeared in a local Gannett news article.

Instead of accepting the potential $1.1 million grant, Escambia County commissioners unanimously approved a new organizational chart that instead trims county management.

Public Safety Bureau Chief Mike Weaver in Escambia County recommended against accepting the grant because of the county’s current financial state. In St. Johns County, however, Fire Chief Bobby Hall supported taking the money as a means to staff the built-but-never-opened Fire Station 15.

In Escambia County, the grant application was submitted by public safety officials in anticipation of a need to staff a new fire station at Kingsfield Road and U.S. 29, which was scheduled to begin construction in 2010 using local option sales tax. When the budget tightened there, they simply did not commence construction.

Funding to meet the third year requirement of the grant would require a more than $5 per year increase in the already $75 per homeowner Municipal Services Benefit Unit assessed to Escambia County residents for fire service.

Had Escambia County accepted the federal grant, it would have been obligated to fund the $580,000 cost of the 12 positions through the third year. St. Johns County residents are now obligated to fund the $890,000 cost of the 12 firefighter-paramedic positions through the third year.

Administrator Michael Wanchick said, “The fire fund is currently operating on reserve funds and is expected to be financially insolvent by 2013.” Wanchick told the commission that the opening of Station 15 and hiring 12 new personnel will accelerate and deepen the insolvency.