PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

TO: Honorable Chairman and                                     DATE: 2/18/02                                     FILE: ES02-1041
      Members of the Board of
      County Commissioners

THRU: Daniel R. Johnson                                         SUBJECT: Land O' Lakes Volunteer
          Assistant County Administrator                                       Fire Department Merger
          (Public Services)                                                            and Municipal Fire Service
                                                                                              Unit Amendment

FROM: Anthony F. Lopinto                                       REFERENCES: All Comm. Dists. 
           Emergency Services Director

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It is recommended that the data herein presented be given formal consideration by the Board of County Commissioners.

DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS:

As a result of discussions with the Land O' Lakes Volunteer Fire Department Personnel, the Pasco County Emergency Services Department has received a letter from their Board of Directors requesting that we proceed with a merger of the two entities.

This process would merge all of their assets and financial liabilities together with the County's and allow the two separate entities to come together and serve the Land O' Lakes community as one. To facilitate this effort, we request that the Board approve the following:

• Authorize a presentation to introduce an amendment of Ordinance Nos. 79-28 and 01-012, as subsequently amended, to allow the expansion of the Municipal Fire Service Unit boundaries to include the area currently serviced by the Land O' Lakes Volunteer Fire Department.

• Authorize staff to continue discussions with the staff of the Land O' Lakes Volunteer Fire Department related to the proposed merger, and at the request of their Fire Chief, authorize staff to provide dispatching services to their agency effective immediately.

• To minimize confusion to the public, we will request the Land O' Lakes Volunteer Fire Department suspend accepting or soliciting donations until the public hearing process is complete. We, therefore, request approval to provide up to $20,000.00 to cover vehicle, station, equipment, and radio maintenance costs, along with fuel and miscellaneous supplies as may be determined by the Emergency Services Director in order to stretch the financial resources of the Land O' Lakes Volunteer Fire Department.

ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS:

1. Approve the requested action as identified above which will allow further action to proceed on the merger of the Land O' Lakes Volunteer Fire Department.

2. Disapprove this agenda, which will terminate further discussion of a merger between the two entities.

   RECOMMENDATION AND FUNDING:

   We recommend that the Board approve Alternative No. 1.

   The funding being requested will come from the existing Emergency Services Department Budget, Fund No. B119-641200, under various accounts.

   ATTACHMENT:

1. Letter of Request

AFL/ai/p011602

APPROVED AGENDA ITEM FOR

DATE

BY