Interlocal disagreement

Jackson County residents who live within five miles of Marianna could wonder who will help protect them in an emergency after next October.
Jackson County administration and the City of Marianna are currently negotiating their interlocal fire coverage contract, in which the county pays the city to provide fire and emergency medical services to Jackson County residents living within five miles of the Marianna city limits.
The coverage includes areas such as Indian Springs and Country Club in the Hills; and the contract for the coverage is set to expire on October 1. The city is not obligated to renew the contract.
The county recently rejected the city’s request for an increase in the county’s payment for the service. Since that rejection, the city has presented the county with a request that nearly doubles the dollar amount of the city’s initial request.
The interlocal agreement has been in place for several years, with the county paying $10,000 per year up until 2007, when the county agreed to pay the city’s request of $20,000.
The city recently began preparing its 2008-2009 budget, meaning it is also the time of year that the city reviews its interlocal agreement with the county.
Earlier this month, the city requested that the county pay $60,000 for the interlocal coverage in the 2008-2009 year.
County commissioners rejected that request, according to county administrator Ted Lakey, because it “was just too much money.”
On July 22, the city went back to the county with a revised request, this time asking the county to pay $181,000 in the fiscal year.
In a letter from Marianna city manager Jim Dean to Lakey, Dean said that the total is a combination figure which includes both a new estimate on what is needed to cover the service at large – about $85,000 – along with the amount the county is supposed to pay in a contract for the city’s fire station located on Pennsylvania Avenue near Family Dollar.
During the construction of the Family Dollar Distribution Center, the city and the county entered a contract in which the county and the city would each pay half of the cost for that fire station.
The following is an excerpt from the letter sent by Dean to Lakey explaining the city’s new figure:
“Based on the population numbers in the areas described, which includes the City of Marianna this represents 19,881 Jackson County citizens or 42.5% of the total population of Jackson County. As indicated in our last meeting, the County budget for fire service is approximately $200,000. Therefore since the City serves 42.5% of the County population the funding for the City would equate to $85,000.”
“Based on the Family Dollar Agreement executed by the city, county and Family Dollar the city and county are to share in operations of the Distribution Park Fire Station. The budget cost of running this station is $193,308. Therefore, if the city and county should be sharing this cost, the county portion (half) would be $96,654.”
“In summary, based on the above information the City of Marianna is requesting $181,000, which is based on total population served and the Family Dollar Agreement, for the coming year to be incorporated into the 2008/2009 Inter-Local Agreement.”
Marianna city attorney Frank Bondurant explained that the city initially requested $60,000 instead of $181,000 because the increase was so drastic.
“I think the county will do what it’s obligated to do,” said Marianna Commissioner John Roberts, referring to the county’s obligation to honor the contract requiring it to pay for one half of the expenses for operating the fire station near the distribution center.
Marianna Commissioner James Wise was concerned that the cost of providing service to   almost 20,000 Jackson County residents was falling on the shoulders of Marianna’s 6,500 residents.
“We want what is fair,” said Roberts.
Commissioners wondered what those Jackson County residents would do if the interlocal agreement is not renewed by the city in October, which could leave them without that extra emergency protection.
A reduction in fire coverage could also affect fire insurance premiums for those residents.
Dean told commissioners he spoke with Lakey on Wednesday, and Lakey requested to meet with Dean and the county and city fire chiefs to discuss specifics on the maintenance and staffing of the fire station near the distribution park.