News

By Jane Smith

    Boynton Beach will dip into its reserves to bring Fire Station No. 1 up to staffing level standards set by South Florida fire-rescue agencies.
    For the past two years, Boynton Beach has had enough money to post only four workers at the station with a fire truck and a rescue vehicle. Standards call for six employees per shift. To meet the requirement of dispatching three-person teams on medical calls, the station has been deploying two, two-person teams to each call.
    Since 2012, Fire Station No. 1 — located on Boynton Beach Boulevard near City Hall — has responded to the lowest number of calls among the five stations in Boynton Beach, according to the city’s Fire Rescue 2015 report.
    Station No. 1 also serves the island communities of Ocean Ridge and Briny Breezes.
    City Manager Lori LaVerriere advised against dipping into the reserves to pay for operating expenses. “It’s not an unsafe situation,” she told city staff and elected officials on the second day of budget hearings in mid-July.
    City commissioners decided to keep the city’s $7.90 per $1,000 of assessed property value tax rate and its $100 fire assessment the same for the next budget year and dip into reserves to cover the estimated $420,000 needed to staff six workers at Fire Station No. 1, $300,000 to redo the greens at the city golf course and $425,000 needed to balance its budget.
    Ocean Ridge Town Manager Jamie Titcomb says his town has not noticed an increase in response times or logistical problems. Fire Station No. 4 on South Federal Highway, the city’s third busiest, also responds to calls on the barrier island. “They just deploy from other stations if the vehicles are all out,” he said. “We have no complaints.”
    His town will renew its fire-rescue contract, which expires at the end of September. Ocean Ridge police officers are certified first responders and carry portable defibrillators in their cruisers to assist those with heart problems until rescue personnel arrive. Two police officers also are certified emergency medical technicians, Titcomb said.
    Briny Breezes officials could not be reached for comment.
    Boynton Beach Commissioner Joe Casello, a retired firefighter from Massachusetts, brought up the staffing situation as inefficient use of city equipment by sending out two vehicles. “We are putting wear and tear on the apparatus,” he said.
    The city rescue personnel also have more exposure to accidents with the second vehicle on the road. “The Fire Department is understaffed,” he said. “We need to do what’s important for safety.”
    He suggested raising the fire assessment by $5 to pay for the extra staff need at Fire Station No. 1.
    That would be cheaper than paying $712,926 in overtime costs to staff the station fully, according to Fire Chief Glenn Joseph.
    Mayor Steven Grant suggested raising the tax rate slightly to 8.0, and then lowering it if warranted during the September budget hearings. The other commissioners wanted to keep the tax rate the same, although most property owners will pay more in taxes because of increased taxable property values. That motion passed 4-1, the mayor voting no.
    Commissioner Justin Katz, who also was against raising the fire assessment, said he wants residents to vote yes in November for the sales tax increase, which would give Boynton Beach enough money for the next 10 years to tackle some of its deferred maintenance. He also was concerned about the effect on the proposed Town Square, should the city seek voter approval in March for a bond referendum to build a police headquarters and new Fire Station No. 1.
    “We should tighten our belt now,” Katz said. “We’re in a good position to wait.” He suggested dipping into the reserves this year. Then if the sales tax doesn’t pass, raise tax rates for the next budget year.
    The city Fire Rescue Department’s budget runs about $22.5 million, or nearly 29 percent, ranking it second in the general fund. The Police Department, with a budget of $30 million, comes in first.