Joint workshop on fire stations, water-sewer services

The St Augustine City Commission will host the St Johns County Board of County Commissioners during a joint, public workshop to address two issues of mutual concern; previously covered by Historic City News.

The workshop will convene on Monday, November 18, starting at 9:00 a.m., and is being held in The Alcazar Room on the ground floor of the St Augustine City Hall; located at 75 King Street.

First, commissioners will discuss the feasibility of operating city-county fire stations; including cost-sharing, inter-agency communications, areas of responsibility, response times for citizens and chain of command.

Time during the three-hour meeting has also been allocated for an update on the progress of discussion and other efforts regarding West Augustine utility service. To date, issues regarding construction and infrastructure costs, as well as ownership and collection responsibility, have impeded efforts by some to coax city officials to extend city water and sewer services to areas outside the city limits. Those areas at issue are located in the county and are currently served by wells and septic tanks.

Although these are the only two announced items on the agenda, since no formal action or vote can be taken during a workshop, it is an opportunity for city and county government officials to freely discuss other items of mutual interest, among themselves, in a public forum.