Marianna and county working on fire protection issue

Jackson County Commissioners want their administrator to negotiate with the city of Marianna to figure out an equitable cost-sharing plan for fire service issues that currently have the two governing bodies at odds.
There are two main issues.
Marianna wants the county to kick in $52,000 to its fire service budget, rather than the $20,000 the county now contributes.
Marianna contends that it needs more than that to cover its costs in responding to fires that occur outside the city but within a five-mile range.
The city and county departments help each other under an inter-local agreement.
According to Marianna’s figures, 42 percent of county residents live within five miles of Marianna, and so the city is called upon very frequently. 
At a county board meeting on Tuesday, most county commissioners individually conceded that Marianna needs more money from the county, but are hoping the city will be open to a gradual change in the amount contributed.
Rather than giving $52,000 this year, the county suggested that administrator Ted Lakey offer an additional $10,000 this year, another $10,000 extra next year, and a third $10,000 increase in the third year going forward.
In a city budget workshop Tuesday, Marianna city manager Jim Dean told city commissioners of this suggestion.
City Commissioner James Wise told Dean “Last week we said we’re not going to do that.”
The board gives Marianna and several volunteer fire departments $10,000 each year to provide assistance at fires in the county. Commissioners said they didn’t want to take anything away from the volunteers to satisfy Marianna’s request.
County commissioners said they were willing to entertain the idea of adding $10,000 to the Jackson County Fire Rescue budget to take care of Marianna’s first $10,000 bump now, to give the city a total of $30,000 and keep the same amount as usual available to the volunteer departments.
But upping Marianna’s total may lead to a similar request from the city of Sneads, warned Commissioner Jeremy Branch, who represents that area of the county. The Sneads city fire department, he said, also goes outside its city limits frequently to help the county.
The other main issue between Marianna and the county may prove more costly for the county. It concerns responsibility for Fire Station 2, which was established in part to serve the Family Dollar Distribution Center and the surrounding community.
In an agreement related to that development, the county and city agreed to split the expense of the station 50-50, but to date the county has not contributed anything.
Marianna has asked for $107,462 this year, saying that’s the county’s annual share.
County Commissioners on Tuesday didn’t discuss the money much, saying they want a more detailed breakdown of that number before they start talking figures, including information on salary amounts, social security, retirement and utility costs.
They also said they might offer to add at least one employee to help man the station and phase in other workers over time, perhaps in lieu of a portion of the cash requested.

(Editor’s Note: Floridan Staff Writer Kate McCardell Kern contributed to this report)