County plans to shed EMS services

The summer break for Collier County commissioners begins today, but before it began the commissioners dropped a bombshell that could reverberate for years to come — surrendering the ambulance service.

They will ask independent fire districts in Collier County to consolidate immediately so that they can take over emergency medical services from county government.

At the end of two days of budget workshop hearings, the commissioners agreed Friday to write the letter to the fire districts. The idea was brought up by Commissioner Fred Coyle.

"I'd like to push the fire departments to consolidate among themselves and then give EMS to them," Coyle said. "I think the fire districts can do a better job (of running EMS) than we can."

Tension has existed for years between EMS and the independent fire districts, with each entity viewing the other as a threat.

"The fire districts are suspicious that we want to take them over," Coyle said. "I don't want to do that."

Deputy County Manager Leo Ochs said it was important to stress that a fire district wouldn't really take over EMS. It would be more of a merger, with fire and EMS being equal, Ochs said.

Coyle spoke after the commissioners discussed ways to cut spending in the fiscal 2007 budget. He said getting rid of EMS would be a good way to cut spending.

EMS is budgeted to cost $10.4 million in fiscal 2007. In fiscal 2006, EMS cost $10 million.

The other commissioners enthusiastically agreed with Coyle.

Commissioner Jim Coletta advocated a straw poll on the November ballot asking Collier voters if they wanted the fire districts to consolidate and then take over EMS.

A straw ballot seeks an opinion from voters, but the result doesn't become a law or regulation.

But Coyle said he didn't want to put the issue onto the ballot because the fire districts might take it the wrong way.

If the fire districts don't make any progress in consolidating within the next year, then they might put the issue up in a straw ballot in 2007, Coyle said.

Commissioner Donna Fiala wondered if the county couldn't just hand over EMS now. But County Manager Jim Mudd said it wasn't feasible to give EMS to multiple independent fire districts.

"I'm not going to let EMS be broken up among (multiple) districts," Mudd said.

Talk of creating a countywide independent fire district in Collier has been around for years. But there has been little progress made in actually creating a merger.

"We've been talking about this forever," Commissioner Tom Henning said. "I don't want to keep talking about this."

It's time for something to be done, he said.

Fire officials reacted with mild amusement when informed of the commission action.

It is a concept that has been repeatedly discussed, Golden Gate Fire & Rescue District Chief Donald Peterson said.

It could be a positive move, but it is entirely up to Collier County voters, he said Friday, when contacted after the commission meeting.

"The independent fire districts were created by people who live in those districts," Peterson said, adding that Golden Gate purposely parted ways with county government in 1983.

Voters made that decision, and voters would have to decide whether to reverse it, but before it goes to a ballot, Peterson said, he wants everyone to understand the benefits and pitfalls of a countywide fire and rescue system.

While speculating about the concept earlier this week before commissioners discussed it, North Naples Fire & Rescue District Commissioner Chris Lombardo said there are numerous advantages, but the last thing he wants to see is a turf war.

That wouldn't benefit anyone, he said.

Lombardo said he envisions a Southwest Florida fire, rescue and EMS that combines Lee and Collier counties.

But everyone would have to play nicely, Lombardo said.

In April 2005, North Naples commissioners asked Golden Gate if they wanted to chat about merging, Commissioner Joyceanna "JA" Rautio said Friday. Nothing came of it.

When those talks hit a dead end, North Naples began talking with the Bonita Springs fire district in Lee County.

Collier officials have been keen on the idea of a merger, Rautio said.

Ochs has been working on this for quite a while and, in February, sent out letters to all of the fire districts, Rautio said.

However, Rautio strongly distinguishes between the words "consolidation" and "merger." She'd be amenable to merging, but not consolidating, she said.

"Consolidation (implies) under the county, (while) merger is (joining) of independent districts," she said.

The ultimate goal would be to merge so that current independent fire district boundaries disappear, she said. That is especially important for the county's urban areas, she said.

An interagency fire district subcommittee will start meeting next week, and will be chaired by East Naples Fire District Commissioner Tom Cannon.