Voters Consider Merging FL Fire Districts

MYAKKA CITY, FL—The voters of Myakka City will likely decide in an August 2020 referendum whether the fire district for their rural community should merge with the Lakewood Ranch-headquartered East Manatee Fire District.

On Monday, the boards of both fire districts agreed on a timeline that they hope could result in a consolidation in 2021.

"It's a reasonable time schedule,' Myakka Fire Chief Daniel Cacchiotti told both panels.

"I think it's going to be a win-win for both districts," East Manatee Fire Commissioner Garry Lawson said. "... I think you've got some good selling points going forward."

East Manatee Fire Chief Lee Whitehurst said that prior to the referendum the voters of Myakka City will need to be educated about the possible merger, which could result in significant property tax savings for them.

Cacchiotti said that holding the referendum on the same day as the primary election could save both districts the expense of a special election, which could be $15,000 or more.

Cacchiotti said the first step will be for the Myakka board to pass a resolution stating the date of the referendum and the ballot language, which must be done by June 8, 2020.

If the ballot measure passes, the fire district boards will attend the Oct. 2, 2019 meeting of the state legislators representing Manatee County.

The legislators will have to introduce a bill that expands the boundaries of the East Manatee district.

If the Myakka district becomes part of East Manatee, making it the largest fire district in the county geographically, most Myakka property owners will see a tax savings, the fire chiefs say.

Currently, the owner of a slightly more than 3,000-square-foot home on less than an acre in Myakka pays an annual fire district assessment based on the size of the structure, not its taxable value, of $559.

The owner of the same size home in East Manatee would pay $341, an assessment based on square footage of $214 and another $127 in property taxes based on value.

A referendum must be conducted in which Myakka voters will be asked if they want to impose upon themselves East Manatee's property tax. East Manatee voters approved that tax based on value, known as an ad valorem tax, in 2004.

The Manatee County Commission established the Myakka City Fire Control District in 1986.

The largely rural jurisdiction spans 230 square miles from east of County Road 675 to the DeSoto and Hardee county lines and from slightly north of State Road 64 to the Sarasota County line. Its 11 full-time firefighters are often assisted by volunteers and work out of two stations. Its five board members are appointed by the County Commission.

In 1980, the state Legislature replaced the Braden River Volunteer Fire Department with the Braden River Fire Control and Rescue District, which spans a 100-square-mile area east of the river. In June 2005, Gov. Jeb Bush signed legislation changing the district's name to East Manatee Fire Rescue.

The district's 83 employees work out of six stations. Its board members are elected.

———

©2019 Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Fla.

Visit Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Fla. at www.heraldtribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.