MADEIRA BEACH – Fire Chief Derryl O’Neal is recommending a proposal to turn the city’s fire protection services over to the city of Seminole should “in its entirety be rejected.”
O’Neal made that comment in a letter submitted to City Manager W.D. Higginbotham dated May 25, four days after Higginbotham met with Madeira Beach firefighters to discuss the Seminole offer.
In the letter, O’Neal questioned the motives behind Seminole’s bid to take over the Madeira Beach fire department.
“Overall I think that the city of Seminole would like to control and take over many or all of the services provided by our city and its members,” O’Neal said. “It’s not about being a good neighbor; it’s about power and control.”
While acknowledging the Seminole proposal appears to offer savings “at first glance,” O’Neal believes the cost benefits could be reduced or eliminated over time. For example, he said the proposed contract would eliminate Madeira Beach’s providing of fire services to the Redingtons “along with that revenue stream.” Moreover, it is unclear what the financial impact would be on Madeira Beach when Seminole negotiates with those communities.
O’Neal cited the city’s police services contract with the Sheriff’s Office as a situation where costs have escalated.
“I think (the Sheriff’s Office) has requested double-digit increases every year since they took over the Madeira Beach Police Department,” he said. (The police budget increase is 2.8 percent for the upcoming year, but double-digit hikes have been common in the past.)
The donation of fire apparatus and equipment valued at more than $1 million to Seminole “would cripple any attempt to regain control of our city services, if for whatever reason, this proposal didn’t work out,” O’Neal stated in the letter.
Firefighter benefits could be lessened under Seminole control, O’Neal warned. He said the city of Seminole participates in a “lesser Chapter 175 retirement system” that the Madeira Beach firefighters chose to leave five years ago.
On making his recommendation that the Seminole fire services proposal be rejected, O’Neal concludes, “The proposed savings are not significant enough to compensate for the elimination of our fire department, to make up for the donation of our vehicles and equipment and compensate for the loss of our ability to control the City’s destiny.”
