Use of City Tax Dollars - Fire Service

The second largest portion of the City budget is allocated to funding our fire service. We have a Fire Department that most communities our size would welcome. Our Chief has great credentials, and is investing himself in the community and our Department; so are the firefighters (including the volunteers). Are the citizens of High Springs aware that 45% of the calls our fire department responds to are to meet the needs of Alachua County and NOT the City of High Springs?

There is no question that everyone deserves to have a qualified responder come when 911 is called. Everyone should want response times to be as short as possible. So the questions are:

Why should the citizens of High Springs subsidize fire service to Alachua County Residents?

Why did Alachua County increase the fire budget this coming fiscal year and CUT the fees they would pay the City of High Springs by 9%?

Why does the Alachua County Commission continue to advocate a "take it or leave it" posture when working with the City of High Springs? When, if High Springs did decide not to respond to calls in Alachua County (including the northern section of I-75 in Alachua County) it would cost the County significantly more money to provide the fire service they are required to provide than if they simply paid a reasonable fee to utilize the resources in High Springs that are being paid for by the Citizens of High Springs?

This is not a simple issue. There are many more details to the situation. Thursday September 3rd is a time for you to speak, listen and ask questions. There will be a joint meeting of the High Springs City Commission and the Alachua County Commissioners here in High Springs. Plan on attending - especially if you live in the County and expect High Springs to respond to your 911 call.

Note: Even if the City of High Springs was not under contract to respond to calls from Alachua County an existing "mutual aid agreement" would provide for immediate aid, when requested, by Alachua County. This is the same system that is used for Columbia and Gilchrist County to aid High Springs and for our City to aid these counties.