December Meeting
held on December
6, 2010
Station #10
Firehouse
5:00 PM
Present: Cathy
Crowe, Pat
Bieneman, Robin
Madden, Suzy
Kett, Rose
Malone, Ken
Conner, Gay
Carrozo, Don
Milroy, Kim
Peacock
Absent: Kevin
Mackin, Jeff
Minett, Kevin
Stevens, Pat
Gordon
Guests: Fire
Chief DiDio,
Hector Flores,
Deputy Chief
Fair, Michael
Poff-Coastal
Engineering
The meeting was
called to order
at 5:00 PM by
President, Don
Milroy
A motion was
made and
seconded to
approve the
minutes from the
November
meeting, held on
October 29,
2010.
A motion was
made and
approved to
accept the
Treasurer’s
Report.
OLD BUSINESS:
Committee
reports are as
follows:
Membership
Directory vs.
Paid Memberships:
(no report)
WHPP (no
report)
Friends of P.I.E.
(no report)
Art in the
Palms: Don
Milroy thanked
everyone for
their efforts
with this
event. All
categories
exceeded all
previous
records.
---Don Milroy
handed out the
attached
information
regarding the
cost of fire
protection and
EMS service,
then introduced
Fire Chief DiDio.
Chief DiDio
began by
discussing the
history of
Station 10. It
was started 25
years ago when a
volunteer fire
station was
created with old
military trucks
used at that
time.
Volunteers came
then to the
county for
funding and as
of today all
trucks are paid
off. He gave
kudos to all
those who have
served over the
years.
A letter was
sent to him May
24, 2010
advising that it
was becoming
difficult to
maintain
Station
coverage due to
the lack of
volunteers and
asking the
county for
assistance.
There are now
3-4 volunteers.
Currently the
money is in an
MSBU (taxes just
from us for fire
protection). On
the mainland
there are two
separate
budgets. In ad
valorem everyone
pays for EMS
with a fee for
transport, which
supplements the
budget. Average
is $58.00 per
house for EMS.
We have a
reserve account
now with
$200,000 which
is only for fire
protection for
us. They are
currently
working on
several
scenarios for
the future
plan. They will
then bring to
the Board of
County
Commissioners.
It will be
necessary to
provide history
to them to help
them make a
decision.
We will be
needed to visit
the chamber to
voice our
opinions. The
question is: can
the fire
department
absorb costs?
In October 2011
they can
expire
the MSBU. The
maximum our rate
can increase to
is $180.00.
Mainland has a
cap as well.
They will keep
the rates flat
for the next 4
years. If we go
to the same fees
as the mainland
it would secure
$126,000, which
will not cover
the costs. That
means the county
would have to
absorb $300,000
plus.
Eventually fees
would need to be
raised on the
mainland to help
cover us.
However, they
have some ideas
and are working
the numbers to
see which plan
will work. If
left as is in
the MSBU and the
county takes
over, our rates
would be $500.00
per house.
The Chief will
meet with the
Board of County
Commissioners
next week to
inform them of
the situation.
He will then let
us know the
outcome.
The reserves
would be eaten
up if the county
starts manning
the station on
March 1, 2011
till the MSBU is
eliminated in
October.
Hector advised
they could
disband the MSBU
in January,
then move
to revise the
territory. The
public would be
notified and the
Board would make
a decision with
public input
noted.
---Don Milroy
introduced
Michael Poff of
Coastal
Engineering who
discussed
the dredging
project at Stump
Pass. The
project is being
funded by the
State and FEMA
due to Hurricane
Faye. The county
will fund the
balance from an
MSTU
assessment.
Three miles of
beach will
benefit. FEMA
funds paid for
the first
renourishment in
2006
with with
one maintenance
every 5 years.
In 2008, we
became eligible
again for $2.5
million of the
$4 million price
tag. There are
no state funds
now available.
State money came
from doc stamps
monies
collected.
The sand will be
placed on
Manasota Key up
to about 6
single family
homes and on the
shorebird
habitat. The
south end of the
resort beach is
wider than it
was in 2006 due
to accretion.
Sand will also
be taken to
Colony Don
Pedro.
There were
several
questions about
jetties. Mr.
Poff advised
jetties won’t
help with the
sand/beach and
we will not get
state funds.
The County has
requested funds
to study
installing
stabilizing
structures in
Stump Pass. The
Division of
State Lands is
now changing
their position
on how to best
keep the pass
open.
The plan is to
mobilize this
weekend starting
with Manasota
Key. Dredging
should begin the
middle of
January and be
south of the
Resort by Mid
March.
Completion is
scheduled for
the end of
March.
At the
conclusion of
the speakers’
presentations,
the P.I.E Board
meeting
resumed. Don
presented a
letter from Bob
Pierce (see
attachment)
which again is
requesting
assistance from
the P.I.E. Board
with regard to
safety issues
and vegetation
on N. Gulf
Boulevard. The
Board again
unanimously
agreed that this
is an issue
between the
Resort and the
property owners
with vegetations
issues and that
our Board will
not be involved
in this
process.
Don advised that
the annual
letter needs to
be mailed
shortly and he
appointed a
nominating
committee of
Cathy Crowe,
Suzy Kett and
Robin Madden to
determine if
anyone other
than our current
board members
would like to
run. He will
also put
together the
list of whose
terms are up on
the Board.
Suzy Kett and
Cathy Crowe
advised they
would handle the
mailing.
NEW BUSINESS:
None.
The next
meeting, along
with the Annual
Meeting, will be
held on January
30, 2011 at
1:00pm.
Meeting was
adjourned at
6:30 PM.
Minutes
submitted by
Robin Madden,
Secretary.
Attachments
