News-Gazette Photos/Andrew Sullivan

Osceola County Fire Rescue Chief Rich Collins, left, and county firefighters, who all dressed in yellow during the meeting Monday to show they were unified against the county manager's proposal to close a fire station east of St. Cloud.

By Jessica Solis
Staff Writer

Feeling pressure from firefighters facing possible layoffs and residents opposing new fees, Osceola County officials admitted this week that “something has got to give.”

Commissioners delayed a vote Monday to shut down Fire Rescue Station 52 east of St. Cloud, saying they wanted more information and more resident input before making any decision.

The news comes as county officials consider an increase to the fire fee that could include charges for agricultural land. The county fire department, facing a 9 percent budget shortfall, would be able to keep service levels as they are now with the fee, Fire Rescue Chief Richard Collins said.

Now, faced with levying new fees and reducing public safety, commissioners said they are still weighing options.

Commissioner Ken Smith speaks at the meeting Monday.

Firefighters and their supporters gathered at Monday’s commission meeting to speak out against the station’s closure, which is being recommended by County Manager Michael Freilinger, who said he would leave the station’s future up to commissioners.

The station has 12 firefighters and receives about one call daily. Operation costs total about $750,000 annually, county officials said.

Firefighters and residents said that wasn’t enough reason to close down a station. “I don’t want to worry about whether or not they (firefighters) can respond on time,” resident Tammy Faulkner said.

Collins answered commissioners' questions about the consequences of Station 52 closing.

Agricultural landowners angry about the possibility of paying a fire fee from which they were previously exempt have spoken out against the fee, which would charge landowners for up to 10 acres a maximum of $33.80 per acre, and cap the fee at $338.80.

Firefighters said without the fee, the fire department budget would take a hit that could reduce levels of service.

“We’re looking at efficiencies, and that’s only fair,” Commission Chairman John Quiñones said.

However, keeping the station open and doing away with the fire fee would cost the county $4.5 million it doesn’t have, Freilinger said.

“That’s money that I have to pull out of other places,” he said.

Some commissioners said they weren’t interested in affecting public safety by closing a station, but were short on ideas on how to offset the $4.5 million it would cost to keep the station open and maintain fire services.

“We have to consider what we’re taking away from people if we think about closing this,” Commissioner Fred Hawkins Jr. said.

On Sept. 8, commissioners will vote on a proposed fire fee increase and make a final decision on the fire station.