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New Sunny Hills fire service will apparently need new building - update
CHIPLEY – The new Sunny Hills Fire Service will apparently need a new building. According to information presented at the Monday workshop of the Washington County Board of County Commissioners, the existing firehouse is owned by another party.
County Administrator Pete Herbert said that according to the deed on the building that was issued in 1988, there was a 20-year reverter clause stating that if the Sunny Hills Volunteer Fire Department ceased operation within 20 years, then the building would revert to ownership of Sunny Hills developer Deltona. That clause expired in 2008 and Herbert said that Deltona believes that it owns the firehouse.
According to the attached information regarding the deed, the fire house is owned by Sunny Hills Volunteer Fire Department
The BOCC voted on Oct. 22 to award the new fire service contract to Sunny Hills Fire Service. The old contract with SHVFD expires Nov. 30 at 8 a.m.
That means the new provider needs a new building, Herbert said, and the search is underway for first a temporary location and eventually a permanent site if the current firehouse remains unavailable. Herbert said lots could be available near the community center and there have been discussions with Deltona.
“They may end up in temporary housing for up to a year,” Herbert said.
Another question involved fire equipment. Public Service Director Roger Dale Hagan said that on Nov. 30 he would pick up the inventory of equipment owned by the Sunny Hills Municipal Services Building Unit that is run by the BOCC and other County equipment.
That apparently includes two fire trucks that Herbert said were purchased with MSBU finds and that are therefore owned by the County. Talks are underway with Hinson’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department for donation of another truck. Another truck is property of the SHVFD.
Both Hagan and Herbert said there have been no official estimates provided for a new building or fire trucks if needed. A number of possible costs were presented by individuals at the workshop.
Hagan said he has not received a roster from Sunny Hills Fire Service. There has also been no determination of possible changes in insurance rates. Hagan said he expects service to be provided “24/7” as per the contract with the new provider.
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| That "rumor" of $500,000 came from a member of the BOCC, it a documented FACT. It's that much and could possibly be more because the county doesn't own what they thought they owned and they might have to buy a new pumper truck along with property and a building. It's rich that someone mentions bad checks, unpaid bills and no accountability for that department because the county has said time and time again that the rest of the fire depts in the county should be like the one in Sunnyhills. They are the only ones that have actually documented what they use their money for. Just hand the mess over to Bay County and be done with it. |
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| interesting - Nov 25, 2009 04:10:47 PM | Remove Comment |
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| There is no truth to the 500,000 rumor. The building will be nowhere near that much money. The reason no one will invest in the old dept is because of their history of bad checks, unpaid bills, no accountability. Dont believe the rumors being thrown around by a group who has alot to lose. Just sit back and watch and wait. The truth is just around the corner. |
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| Just wait and see - Nov 24, 2009 06:50:21 PM | Remove Comment |
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| I have to ask. What's wrong with this picture? Sunnyhills fights tooth and nail to try to get the county to help them upgrade their fire department and the county shut the door on them. Now the county wants to spend all kinds of money putting a NEW fire department in place? How can that possibly be proper spending of tax payer dollars? If they are looking at $500,000 to get the new department off the ground, why not just invest in the one that's already there? They have run that department thru the gauntlet for every conceivable accusation they could think of and the SHVFD has consistently come back with a clean bill of health. Smells like criminals on the BOCC to me. |
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| Happy - Nov 23, 2009 09:24:16 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Yes sir, they would also run the Sal, Mario, Randall,JJ, the Morons and the pretend fire department out too. Get rid of them all. They would bring in a professional fire department and manage the tax dollars the way they are supposed to, including the MSBU. I say give it to them, less we have to worry about and listen to. |
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| sick of it - Nov 19, 2009 09:37:30 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Bay County wouldn't put up with this stuff for 1 min. They would ride the fire dept, Karen, Glen, Lou, Ron the whole "all of Sunny Hills" out of town on a rail. |
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| now your talking - Nov 19, 2009 08:00:35 AM | Remove Comment |
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| That sounds like a good plan to me, slice it off Washington County and give the mess to Bay County, lock, stock and barrel. |
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| sick of it - Nov 19, 2009 05:52:14 AM | Remove Comment |
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| I want to know if there were bids taken for this. The law clearly indicates that if the County is going to buy services from a company with taxpayer dollars, it is to advertise for bids for that service. I don't recall any advertisement for this process. Secondly, how can the County justify spending all those taxpayer dollars on buying property, a new building, new equipment etc when all of that is already in place and has been for 30 plus years? This has got to top the list of pathetically ignorant moves that I have even seen any Government entity do. It's right up there with the $5,000 crapper seats and the $4,500 lug wrenches. |
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| Randall - Nov 18, 2009 09:39:52 AM | Remove Comment |
