Sarasota County Decision to Take Over Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department Postponed
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: December 18, 2024
Johannes Werner: The Sarasota County Fire Department wants to take over the last remaining volunteer fire department in the area. They were in for a surprise, as WSLR News reporter Ramon Lopez witnessed. Lopez also reports on other discussions and decisions by the county commission during their meeting on Tuesday.
Ramon Lopez: On Tuesday, the Sarasota County Commission was scheduled to consider an ordinance that would dramatically affect the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department, which was established in 1950 but before newly elected chairman Joe Nuender opened the public hearing, he suggested postponing consideration of the controversial item because of much public protest over the move, and to allow time to collect more information. He was backed by Theresa mast and Tom Knight, also new county commissioners.
Theresa Mast: We’ve had a significant amount of emails that I know that all of my colleagues here have received. I’d like to have some further information. I’d like to have a better understanding of some data that I’ve seen. And I think that it would be very prudent for us as a Board to take the opportunity to really hear though that additional information.
Tom Knight: I do think that with the overwhelming public input that we had at this point, I think it would be prudent, it would be beneficial to acquire more data, some more public outreach, and to move this agenda item, not till tomorrow, but after the first of the year. We do need a little bit more information and data, in my humble opinion, and this is very solidly in my district, and I have been out speaking with people and residents on this for my ask, it would be to move this till after the first of the year.
Ramon Lopez: The commissioners then unanimously voted to defer the matter to the afternoon of January 21 following a critical morning workshop on the storm water surge caused by
the hurricane Debbie debacle, At issue is whether the Sarasota County Fire Department would expand its coverage of much territory now handled by the Nokomis volunteer fire department. Steve Kona Nokomis, fire chief says volunteer fire departments nationwide are traditional in their support of larger firefighting services, whether city or county.
Steve Kona: Traditionally the fire service began as volunteers, and about 70% of the departments around the country are volunteers. And it’s a group of people that do this job and protect the citizens for free, and everyone here does it without a paycheck. Say what we have is an agreement. It’s an automatic aid agreement that has been set in place for years, and what it says is, if you need our help, we will send it, and vice versa. So that’s how we compliment Sarasota County. If they have a fire just outside our jurisdiction and they need extra engines or personnel, we send it, and in return, they send it to us. We’ve had a great relationship with Sarasota County up until now, and that’s what I’m hoping that we can regain after this is over.
Ramon Lopez: Sarasota County Fire Department Chief David Rathbun says the change would enhance service and provide equity that’s absent today homeowners in the Nokomis area subsidized the operation of the NVFD through $100 annual donations, but don’t pay for the coverage the county provides under the mutual aid agreement. If this goes through, those homeowners would pay for county fire service an estimated $250 increase in their property taxes. He also believes the county plan will better accommodate growth the fire coverage s
witchover would take effect in October 2025 Kona says his firefighting area would shrink from 16 square miles to five or six square miles, he would lose current access to a fire station and needed donations as part of the financial squabble.
Steve Kona: Basically, we cover from Blackburn road to the city of Venice and then some property east of I 75 but about 16 square miles, a majority of the land, which is north of Laurel will go to Sarasota County and Nokomis fire within, according to their plans for next five years, will just cover
everything from north, from Laurel road, I’m sorry, Laurel road south the city of Venice. So it’ll probably be reduced. I would say they’re going to take 60% and we’ll have the remaining 40% of our district. This is more than just absorbing some of our area. If you take half of our area, you’re going to take half our funding, and that’s what I don’t think they realize. If you take half our funding, I’m not sure that we’re going to be around more than another year. And so it’s, it’s a. Tremendous amount of cost to run a fire department, and with that funding cut in half, I honestly don’t see how we can survive. So that’s what I’m trying to get across to them, and why I’m asking them to put the brakes on this.
Ramon Lopez: Kona also fears loss of his local volunteer first responders.
Steve Kona: With a slower department. You know, we’re attracted by the volunteers, because we’re a busier department, and they know they can gain experience here. So yes, it could. It could hurt our amount of volunteers. They’re upset. They feel like they do a good job and they do and they don’t understand why Sarasota County is is trying to eliminate this department.
Ramon Lopez: Kona said the county fire service could do the same thing to municipal fire departments as well.
Steve Kona: We are the last volunteers in Sarasota County, but that’s not to say that you could have a another career department one day get taken over by the county as well.
Ramon Lopez: Kona spoke briefly at Tuesday’s meeting.
Steve Kona: I think that trying to pass this through the holidays, and here we are, eight days to Christmas. Is not a good look for Sarasota County. Now I do thank you for postponing this a few days. I think that this is an important decision, and this should take months, not days. So even though I do appreciate you delaying this, it’s a good sign that you want to hear all the facts, and I appreciate that.
Ramon Lopez: Nokomis fire chief Kona told WSLR news what he hopes will happen.
Steve Kona: What I hope is that they postpone this for another year. I’m willing to sit down with Sarasota County, the fire departments, and I, what I want to do is involve some of our public, our residents, who are of our leaders in this area, like such as the chamber, osprey, Nokomis chamber, I think we should, we should allow them to set that table with us, because it does affect all the residents here in this area.
Ramon Lopez:Kona hopes the delay in the David and Goliath clash is not simply a stay of execution for his neighborly Nokomis volunteer fire department. Other matters before the county commission included a plea from Commissioner Mark Smith to bring back in person, neighborhood workshops versus zoom only meetings approval of $86,100 in county funding to pay for engineering work related to family promise of Sarasota County’s project to build affordable housing in Venice, with much protest unanimous rejection of a Myakka River area variance for proposed installation of two retaining walls and realignment of a driveway within a 50 foot River area, buffer and a river protection zone.
This is Ramon Lopez for WSLR News.
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