BRADENTON – If you live in the West Manatee Fire Rescue District and have ever thought about running for fire commissioner, now may be your chance.
In the Nov. 3 general election two seats on the fire commission – those now held by Commissioners Larry Jennis and Randy Cooper – will be up for grabs. Cooper has already stated that he will not be running for re-election.
WMFR’s commissioners serve four-year terms on the dais.
To qualify as a candidate, the person must be a registered Manatee County voter and reside in the WMFR district, which stretches across unincorporated Manatee County on the west, encompassing the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach, along with Cortez, Palma Sola and much of northwest Bradenton.
Though pre-qualifying papers already can be submitted to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, candidate qualifying officially begins at noon on June 8 and ends at noon on June 12. All paperwork must be submitted prior to the deadline.
Before the end of the qualifying period, all potential candidates must appoint a campaign treasurer, open a campaign bank account and file the required paperwork as well as collect the signatures of 25 registered voters who reside in the district. A fee of $0.10 is required per signature as a verification fee. If a candidate cannot pay the fee, an oath of undue burden must be filed to have the fee waived. Candidates also must file a statement of candidate, candidate oath, a statement of financial interests and either a $25 qualifying fee or certificate of petition verification.
All candidates are required to designate a campaign treasurer and open a campaign account before accepting any campaign contributions. For fire district candidates, any candidate who does not collect campaign contributions and whose only expense is the filing or signature verification fee is not required to appoint a campaign treasurer or open a campaign account. Filing fees are not required to be drawn from a campaign account.
All candidate information can be found on the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website under the candidate information tab. Forms can also be found on the website or picked up from the Supervisor of Elections Office. All paperwork must be submitted for verification to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office at 600301 Blvd W. in Bradenton prior to the qualifying deadline.
BRADENTON – The majority of West Manatee Fire Rescue’s commissioners agreed to continue moving forward with the construction of their own administration building rather than purchase suites in a shell building near Blake Medical Center.
Commissioner Al Robinson brought the idea back to the table during a May 19 meeting, asking realtor J. Daniel Douglass to provide information on a shell building on 21st Avenue West in Bradenton.
Out of the four units in the building, Douglass said there are three units available with a total of 6,140 square feet. The building, designed to serve as medical offices, currently holds one medical office and is a shell building with sprinklers, a ceiling and air conditioning already installed. Located across the street from the Bishop Animal Shelter, the property features a total of 29 parking spaces and does not meet the hardened hurricane-force wind load that commissioners previously said is wanted for the district’s new administration building.
Robinson urged his fellow commissioners to carefully consider purchasing all three units and selling one if the district finds it doesn’t need that much space for administrative staff.
Douglass said that the three units could be purchased for $549,000 and would cost about $614,000 to build out as office space, ending with a total purchase price of $1.2 million, not including condominium fees associated with the property. He added that the building is an as-is purchase.
Commissioner Randy Cooper said he was concerned with the lack of ability to store or stage equipment at the site as it has much less space for parking than the currently planned administration building.
Commissioners Larry Jennis and George Harris both said they have concerns about the building. Some of those concerns voiced by Jennis include that the building isn’t hardened and doesn’t have adequate parking space. Harris added that the location also is problematic, being well outside of WMFR’s district.
Chief Ben Rigney said he’s been working with representatives from Hall Darling Design Studio and expects to have a not-to-exceed price for construction of the district’s new administration building for commissioner consideration in August.
In April, Rigney presented a potential design for the new administration building that features office space, storage and a hardened conference room that could be used as a westside emergency operations center in the event of a hurricane. The building is currently planned for construction on a lot purchased by the district in 2019 and located off Manatee Avenue behind the Fountain Court Shopping Center.
“I think we’re making good progress,” Jennis said of the potential construction project.
BRADENTON – Property owners in the West Manatee Fire Rescue District will see an increase in their assessment rate when TRIM notices are mailed in the fall.
During a May 19 meeting, commissioners voted 3-1 with Commissioner Al Robinson dissenting, to raise the assessment rate 2.6% over the current year’s rates. Commissioner David Bishop was absent.
At the 2.6% increase, the district’s revenue will increase by $189,436, eliminating the need for district leaders to draw from reserves to meet anticipated needs including capital projects and projected increases in insurance, pension fund contributions and a potential increase in employee compensation. Commissioner Larry Jennis reminded his fellow board members that the coming year is a bargaining year with the firefighters’ union. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, WMFR’s staff projects bringing in $7,475,424 in revenue from assessments.
With the increase, the base rate for a residential property increases to $195.53 from $190.57 with the square foot rate increasing from $0.1124 to $0.1153. The total assessment rate for a 2,000 square foot residential building will increase from $302.97 to $310.85.
For commercial buildings, the base rate will increase from $473.62 to $485.94 with the square foot rate increasing from $0.2051 to $0.2104. The total assessment rate for a 2,000 square foot commercial building will increase from $678.72 to $696.37.
Before the vote was taken, Commissioner Al Robinson expressed concern about raising the assessment rate in a year that has produced financial hardship for many property owners.
“I’m not in favor of raising anything,” Robinson said. “We have plenty of money.”
Chief Ben Rigney said that the district’s staff typically spends about 95% of the funds budgeted each year. Any rollover amounts are put into savings for future capital expenses, equipment purchases or emergency savings in case of a natural disaster.
“I think it’s very evident that our staff has been frugal in spending taxpayer dollars,” Commissioner George Harris said, adding that he believes the board makes a sound decision each year concerning assessment rates.
Each year, the amount that commissioners can increase the assessment rate is based on a rolling five-year personal income growth number or PIG. This year, the maximum amount allowed for an increase is 5.46%. Because he expects the next year’s PIG to be much lower, Rigney asked commissioners to consider a 4% increase, which was rejected by board members.
“I know it was a tough decision but we have to do what’s best for the district,” Commissioner Randy Cooper said after the vote had been taken.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue commissioners held their first budget meeting of the year on April 21 and the hot topic was whether to raise the assessment rates for commercial and residential property owners in the district.
WMFR has a non-ad valorem assessment rate, meaning the rate is tied to the size of the building on the property instead of the property value, which is used to determine property taxes. The amount the district can raise assessment rates each year is capped by personal income growth, a five-year rolling number used to estimate increases in taxpayer income.
At the end of the meeting, commissioners were considering three different options – a zero increase, a 2.6% increase and a 4% increase in assessment rates. An option to increase to the allowable limit of 5.46% was deemed too high by commissioners and dismissed. Commissioners will vote at their May meeting to determine the assessment rate for the 2020-21 fiscal year.
At a zero increase, the district would be operating at a loss for the coming year, requiring the use of $189,436 in reserves on top of the estimated $7,285,989 in revenue from property assessments. This would keep the residential base rate at $190.57 plus $0.1124 per square foot over 1,000 square feet and the commercial base rate at $473.62 plus $0.2051 per square foot over 1,000 square feet. At current rates, the full assessment on a 2,000-square-foot residential home is $302.97. The rate for a commercial building of the same size is $678.72.
The second option, a 2.6% increase in the assessment rate, would be the break-even point for the district, requiring no spending from reserves and bringing the total revenue from assessments up to $7,475,424. Under this plan, the assessment rate for a 2,000-square-foot home would be $310.85 and $696.37 for a 2,000-square-foot commercial building.
The third option, a 4% increase, is the one that was recommended by Chief Ben Rigney and the largest assessment rate increase being considered by commissioners. Under the 4% increase, commissioners would have an additional $291,440 in operating funds and would be able to add $102,004 to the district’s reserves to be used in case of an emergency. Reserve funds also are used to save for new equipment, such as a new fire truck, and to float the district’s operating expenses in the early months of the fiscal year before assessment rate funds are received. Under this increase, a residential property owner with a 2,000-square-foot home would pay $315.09 in total assessments to the fire district while a commercial property owner with a 2,000-square-foot building would pay $705.87.
Due to the expected economic downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, commissioners expressed concern that increasing the assessment rate at all could be a burden on property owners but also, that if rates aren’t increased this year and the personal income growth number goes down next year, the district might have more than one fiscal year where it operates at a loss.
Commissioner Al Robinson said he’s concerned about the burden on taxpayers if assessment rates are increased and then the district has a significant rollover from the current fiscal year. He asked staff to look into the past five years of financials to see what the rollover amount typically is for the district. WMFR is currently at the halfway mark at six months in the current fiscal year.
For the 2020-21 fiscal year, beginning Sept. 30, Rigney said that he expects operating expenses to increase $188,653, including required raises for staff and anticipated increases in insurance and other benefits, along with expenses to set up the planned new administration building. He said he expects an increase in operating expenses of $221,009 for the 2021-22 fiscal year, which is also a negotiating year for the firefighter’s union.
After the expenses for a new fire truck expected to arrive in the coming weeks, Rigney said he doesn’t anticipate any additional large expenditures for equipment in the next two to three years or more.
Commissioners are expected to vote on whether to increase the assessment rate for the coming fiscal year during their May 19 meeting.
BRADENTON – A lot has been purchased, an architect selected and now the first rendering is in for the design of West Manatee Fire Rescue’s new administration building.
The design, created by architects at the Hall Darling Design Studio, tops out at 3,879 square feet and contains office and storage spaces for the fire district’s staff, a kitchen and restroom facilities and a meeting room with a separate entrance that is hardened to survive a Category 5 storm.
Chief Ben Rigney presented the design to commissioners, saying it meets the district’s goals of having a smaller administration building. He added that the quote of $1,469,708 to build the structure falls within budget for the building and keeps the district out of debt, while the hardened meeting room gives the district a base of operations in case of a hurricane. The previous administration building, which was sold more than a year ago, was 11,200 square feet in size.
Rigney said he feels comfortable the district can pay for the construction of the building without borrowing funds using reserve funds and impact fees. He said an official not-to-exceed amount for the project is expected from the architects by August for commissioners to consider. If they agree to move forward with the project, he said the building could be ready to occupy by the middle of 2021. During the April 21 meeting, Rigney said he was looking for direction from commissioners to move forward with the proposed design and floorplan.
Commissioner Randy Cooper, who serves as the board’s liaison on the administration building project, said that while the floorplan as presented is a compromise, it’s one of the best he’s seen within the district’s budget.
While commissioners agreed they liked the proposed design, where they varied was in how to pay for the project.
Though Rigney said the district has the funds to pay for the construction project outright, Commissioner David Bishop said that with the current economic climate and drop in interest rates it might be more beneficial to borrow the funds and save the reserve funds that would be used to finance the building.
“Amen,” Commissioner Al Robinson said, agreeing with Bishop. “I’m in the amen corner on borrowing the money.”
While Commissioner Larry Jennis said he wouldn’t be opposed to borrowing the funds, Commissioner George Harris said he doesn’t see a reason for it when the district already has the money available. He added that with the effects of statewide shutdowns due to COVID-19 precautions, the economy may experience a downturn which could potentially lower the district’s construction costs.
Robinson said he’s still not in favor of constructing a new administration building due to the cost and that he would like to continue looking for a pre-existing structure in the district to purchase.
Rigney said the total cost of the building plus fees and the purchase of the property is expected to come in around $1.8-1.9 million dollars.
“This is absurd,” Robinson said. “This is ludicrous.”
Bishop said that while it does seem expensive, for a municipal building that has the amenities the fire district needs, including the hardening, he thinks the pricing is good.
Jennis agreed with Bishop, adding that what the district wants, a building that would survive a strong hurricane and still be usable, is a “specialty thing. It’s not a generic building.”
Cooper said he would work with Rigney to judge the feasibility of borrowing the funds for the project and bring options back to his fellow commissioners at an upcoming meeting.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue’s February commission meeting started out on a happy note as two of their own were promoted, a new staff member was welcomed and a team received chief’s coins for their work in the community.
Kicking the meeting off, commissioners welcomed new administrative assistant Andrea Berggren, who took the oath of office and was greeted personally by each commissioner.
New administrative assistant Andrea Berggren takes the oath of office. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Continuing the festivities, WMFR leaders recognized Chad Brunner and Tyler MacDonald who were elevated to the rank of captain. MacDonald’s son was even on-hand to pin his father’s badge on his uniform.
Battalion Chief Rich Jasinski congratulates the newly promoted Captain Chad Brunner. – Kristin Swain | Sun
The non-transit advanced life support team of firefighters Frank Agresta and John Balzer, along with Lt. John Stump, were presented with chief’s coins by Administrative Battalion Chief Jay Johnson for going above and beyond in their service to the community. Johnson said he’d spoken with a woman whose husband was having a hard time entering their Island home and had fallen. The firefighters showed up to help the man up and then they returned to the fire station to build a step to make it easier for him to access his home without falling down. Johnson said he’d received many thanks and compliments from the man’s wife for the actions of the firefighters.
Once the festivities were over, commissioners moved on to other business, including discussions concerning the district’s new administrative home.
In January, commissioners were presented with the opportunity to purchase an additional piece of land complete with a shell building in a commercial area near Blake Medical Center. Commissioner Randy Cooper reported to his fellow commissioners during the February meeting that he had viewed the property and didn’t recommend pursuing the purchase, stating that he felt it doesn’t meet the district’s needs.
In 2019, commissioners purchased a large commercial lot located behind the Fountain Court Shopping Center off of Manatee Avenue and have already engaged the services of an architecture firm to help plan the new building.
Commissioner George Harris said that he would like the district’s leaders to keep all of their options open for the moment. Commissioner Al Robinson said he was disappointed that his fellow commissioners had dismissed the possibility of purchasing the other lot with the shell building, saying he felt it could save the district money in the long run when weighed against the expense of new construction.
During the meeting, commissioners voted four to one with Robinson dissenting to accept a contract for construction manager at risk with Creative Contractors Inc. for the new administration building. The contract grants Creative Contractors payment of 5.5% of the actual cost of work for the construction of the new administration building and includes a bond percentage of 0.81% with 0.82% of construction costs going to insurance.
“It’s been great working with them so far,” Chief Ben Rigney said.
There’s no timetable set yet for construction on the new administration building.
Commissioners also reviewed the 2019 annual report.
Johnson presented the annual report, stating that it reflects the district’s purchase of new air packs and the launch of non-transport ALS service at all three district fire stations. He said the district had a 3% increase in calls in 2019 with 67% of those being medical calls. He added that there were 45 fire incidents that WMFR firefighters responded to in 2019, including 14 building fires. He said the district’s response time improved 27 seconds over the previous year.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue’s commissioners and staff had a lot to celebrate during the board’s Nov. 19 meeting with two new firefighters sworn in, three promotions and two Phoenix Awards handed out.
First on the agenda was the oath which was given to new hires firefighters Aaron Reese and David Stark. Reese is working to finish paramedic school in December while Stark comes to WMFR from Manatee County Emergency Management Services.
Firefighters Aaron Reese and David Stark take their oaths as West Manatee firefighters. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Firefighter Tyler MacDonald was promoted for the rank of lieutenant but was absent from the meeting. He will officially be promoted during the district’s January board meeting.
Also promoted was firefighter Clayton Lease who was promoted to the rank of firefighter third class.
More than a month after he started the job, firefighter Jay Johnson was officially promoted to the position of administrative battalion chief, serving as the right hand of new Chief Ben Rigney. Johnson’s family was on-hand to help celebrate the promotion and his father had the honor of pinning his son with his new badge.
Firefighter Clayton Lease is promoted to firefighter third class. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Two Phoenix Awards also were handed out to firefighter/paramedics Zachary Benshoff and Cameron Frazier.
WMFR gives Phoenix Awards to first responders who respond to a cardiac arrest call where the patient is brought back from the brink of death and is able to leave the hospital under their own power. Johnson and Rigney presented the awards.
Benshoff and Frazier earned this Phoenix Award after responding to a drowning call on Sept. 21 with two of their fellow firefighters, Corey Hill and Capt. Buddy Leigh.
Johnson said that when the WMFR team arrived, CPR was already being conducted by marine rescue personnel and a bystander. The WMFR paramedics took over patient care using their medic training and the district’s non-transport advanced lifesaving equipment and were able to keep the patient alive until an EMS transport unit arrive four minutes later. The patient was able to leave the hospital on Sept. 30.
Battalion Chief Jay Johnson addresses commissioners just moments after being officially promoted to administrative battalion chief. – Kristin Swain | Sun
For a patient who needs CPR, Johnson said their chances of survival drop 10% every minute without patient care. By WMFR’s paramedic trained firefighters arriving on-scene four minutes ahead of EMS, he said it increased the drowning victim’s survival rate by 40%.
“That’s huge,” Johnson said of the rescue efforts. “That’s why we’re here and we’re just so proud of you.”
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue commissioners had a couple of legal decisions to make when the board met Nov. 19, first to select new legal counsel and second, to decide how to move forward with a pending lawsuit.
In a unanimous vote, commissioners appointed attorney Maggie Mooney as the district’s legal counsel, replacing the retiring Jim Dye. Mooney also represents four other Manatee County fire districts.
In her first act as the attorney for WMFR, Mooney informed commissioners that a lawsuit had been filed against them in Manatee County Circuit Court and an administrative appeal in the same case also had been set for a hearing on Nov. 25 with the Manatee County Fire Code Appeals Board.
The appeals board is a seven-member volunteer board made up of local professionals. This will be the first appeals case that has gone before the board.
Mooney said that local builder and real estate investor Shawn Kaleta had filed both the lawsuit and the administrative appeal on Nov. 18, appealing a decision made by Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski to require a sprinkler system installed at the Bali Hai Beach Resort. The resort is owned and being remodeled by Kaleta. Mooney said that the administrative appeal should technically have been ruled on before a lawsuit was filed but that in this case, both had been done at the same time. Until the administrative hearing is held, she said the lawsuit cannot be heard in court.
The appeals hearing was held at Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue District’s administration building Nov. 25 after press time for The Sun.
On behalf of Kaleta’s Bali Hai JV LLC, attorney Jason Miller filed an emergency motion for permanent injunction, arguing that Kwiatkowski’s interpretation of the Florida Fire Code, requiring sprinkler system was delaying the completion of the remodel of the property at 6900 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. In the motion, he alleges that as a result of the requirement for fire sprinklers that Kaleta will suffer irreparable financial harm that would likely be unrecoverable.
In the lawsuit, Miller asks for declaratory relief and preliminary and permanent injunctions due to the alleged halting of construction and stopping of the permitting process related to the requirement for fire sprinklers.
The Life Safety Code, a provision of the Florida Fire Prevention Code, says that only one and two-family dwelling structures are exempt from a requirement for sprinkler systems. The Bali Hai has 48 suite and hotel room units.
The lawsuit claims that the resort can be booked for $795 per night during season and that Kaleta could suffer monetary damages in excess of $15,000 not including attorney costs.
Mooney said that if WMFR were to win the administrative appeal and have Kwiatkowski’s ruling upheld, it doesn’t mean that the lawsuit won’t go forward. She recommended commissioners authorize Chief Ben Rigney to enter into a contract for specialist litigation attorneys to fight the case. On Nov. 20, attorneys Martin Garcia and Josh Dell of The Law Firm of Matthews Eastmoore out of Sarasota were entered into the court record as attorneys for WMFR. The case has been assigned to Judge Charles Sniffen.
BRADENTON – It was a day of sadness and celebration Oct. 17 as West Manatee Fire Rescue’s staff said goodbye to retiring Chief Tom Sousa and welcomed new Chief Ben Rigney in a combined retirement and change of command ceremony held at Station 1.
As Sousa passed the ceremonial pike to Rigney, officially passing command of the fire district to his successor, several well-wishers stepped up to the podium to honor both men, including former WMFR Chief Andy Price, WMFR board Chair David Bishop and East Manatee Fire Rescue Chief Lee Whitehurst.
West Manatee Fire Rescue Chief Ben Rigney celebrates his first few moments as the district’s leader with his father, retired North River Fire District Chief Johnny Rigney and his brother, Johnny Rigney Jr. with the Sarasota County Fire Department. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Two of the most poignant moments of the evening were when Rigney’s grandfather, Hugh Holmes, pinned the chief’s badge on his grandson and when, after Sousa gave his final comments as chief, a ceremonial radio call went out announcing his official retirement from the district.
Hugh Holmes pins the chief’s badge on his grandson, new WMFR Chief Ben Rigney. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Price, as the guest speaker for the event, said that he was honored to be included in the ceremony, having known both Sousa and Rigney as well as worked with them for many years. Price retired from WMFR in May 2015.
Once the change of command was completed, Bishop kicked off Sousa’s retirement celebration by thanking Sousa for his 13 years of service to WMFR and recognizing the accomplishments of his 43-year career in the fire service. He ended his comments with a top five list of options for Sousa to explore in his retirement: travel, become an Uber driver, paragliding, become a school crossing guard and, number one, become a professional bicycle helmet model. Sousa’s likeness can be seen modeling a helmet on the side of WMFR’s bicycle rodeo trailer.
Retiring Chief Tom Sousa accepts the golden axe from WMFR board Chair David Bishop in honor of his 43 years of service to not only the district but also to the fire service. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Bishop presented Sousa with a plaque and a golden fire axe on behalf of the district and board recognizing his service to WMFR. Whitehurst, speaking on behalf of the local fire chief’s association, presented Sousa with a certificate and token of appreciation for his work.
Whitehurst said that there are two colors used to recognize those retiring from the fire service based on their years in the service. Because of Sousa’s many years of service, Whitehurst said a white ribbon was added to the colors as a third tier for 30 years or more of service.
Sousa also was presented with a folded American flag.
The dual ceremony ended with Sousa’s final comments, thanking his family for their years of support, and a radio announcement, officially marking his retirement from the fire service. A reception was held afterward with food provided by Mission BBQ.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue (WMFR) has an approved budget and an approved assessment rate increase for the 2019-20 fiscal year.
Commissioners met at the district’s administrative offices Sept. 10 to host a public hearing for both the budget and the assessment rate. No members of the public chose to speak during the public hearing. Commissioners voted unanimously to certify the district’s tax roll, approve the budget and increase the fire assessment for both residential and commercial properties.
Residential property owners can expect to see a 1.65% increase, a $3.09 increase in the base rate bringing it to $190.57 for the first 1,000 square feet of a home. The rate for square footage over 1,000 square feet is being raised from $0.1106 to $0.1124. The total assessment rate for a 2,000 square foot home is increasing from $298.08 to $303, a difference of $1.92.
Residential homes make up the majority of the properties in WMFR’s district, which stretches from the Gulf of Mexico on the west, Tampa Bay to the north, Longboat Key to the south and city of Bradenton to the east. The district includes unincorporated Manatee County, Palma Sola, Cortez, Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.
Commercial property assessment rates will be increasing 5% to help the district come in line with the rates charged by other surrounding fire districts. The base rate for commercial properties is increasing from $451.07 to $473.62 for the first 1,000 square feet of the building. The remaining square footage will be charged at a rate of $0.2051, totaling a $32.32 increase for a 2,000 square foot commercial building.
The increased assessment rates are estimated to bring in around $144,203 in increased revenue for the district. The funds are planned to be used to assist in launching the district’s non-transport advanced life support service at all three stations, purchase a new fire engine and begin work on the district’s new permanent administration building.
The district’s proposed total revenue for the coming fiscal year, beginning Oct. 1, is $7,660,461 with $74,900 used in impact fees and $1,910,873 used of reserves to total $9,646,234 in expenses with $4,329,953 left in reserves.
An expense carried to the district’s next board meeting is the matter of offering an honorarium to the chaplain. Commissioner David Bishop brought up the idea a month after the district’s new chaplain was sworn in during the August board meeting. After not having a chaplain for 12 years, he said he thinks an honorarium would be appropriate to demonstrate the importance of the position to district staff and firefighters.
“I think it’s a valuable resource,” he said. “I just think it’s the right thing to do.
Commissioner George Harris agreed, saying, “The chaplain’s role is essential,” to the district staff.
Commissioner Al Robinson suggested offering $100 per month. A decision is expected during the October board meeting.
Commissioners are also considering how they want to handle a new cancer bill that was recently passed by the state legislature and went into effect July 1, 2019. Under the new bill, any firefighter who is diagnosed with one of 21 different kinds of cancer within 10 years of leaving the fire service is eligible for a $25,000 cash payout and for their out of pocket treatment expenses to be covered by their fire district.
Commissioners discussed purchasing insurance at a cost of $70 per firefighter, totaling $3,000 annually, to cover any of the $25,000 payouts that the district might be required to pay. They also discussed extending the program to recent retirees, something that is not specified in the legislation. In order to qualify for benefits, firefighters must have served in the fire service for at least five years prior to diagnosis.
The discussion is expected to continue at the Oct. 15 board meeting.
BRADENTON – Aug. 20 was a celebration of life at West Manatee Fire Rescue’s board meeting as district leaders handed out three sets of Phoenix Awards to first responders.
The district gives out Phoenix Awards to first responders with the district who respond to a medical call where the patient doesn’t have a heartbeat either on arrival or at any point during the call, the patient is revived and is eventually discharged from the hospital. In August, Battalion Chief Ryan Moore presented responders from three separate calls with Phoenix Awards.
“These are my favorite awards to give because they’re truly life-changing for the people we respond to,” Moore said.
The first call involved an April call to a Mangrove Point residence where a female patient was found unresponsive. The crew, Lt. Chad Brunner, firefighter John Balzer and firefighter Tyler McDonald, gave the patient CPR until an EMS crew arrived to take over patient care. The patient was able to be discharged from Blake Medical Center in Bradenton.
Firefighter Andrew Powers receives a Phoenix Award Aug. 20 from Battalion Chief Ryan Moore for his work to revive a drowning victim who survived and was discharged from the hospital. – Kristin Swain | Sun
The second call was in response to a drowning on June 3 on Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. The responding crew included Lt. Darren Vollmer, firefighter Mike Petrosino, firefighter Jared Apple, firefighter/paramedic Adam Bagget and firefighter/paramedic Andrew Powers. Upon arrival, crew members saw bystanders giving CPR to an unresponsive male patient on the beach. Crew members took over CPR and advanced life support care. The patient recovered and was discharged from Blake.
The third call involved a male patient who went into cardiac arrest at O’Shucks Raw Bar and Grill in Cortez on June 4. Lt. Jay Johnson, Lt. Chad Brunner and firefighter Tyler McDonald responded to the call. Upon arrival, the first responders said it appeared the patient was having a seizure and wasn’t breathing well on his own. During the call, his heart stopped beating.
The patient, a resident of Anna Maria Island, Robert Philippi, was present at the Aug. 20 board meeting when the awards were given out. He said he was having dinner with his family when he had a heart attack.
“Obviously the night was a rollercoaster ride for everyone involved,” he said. “I’d never had a moment of ill health in my life, nor was I expecting a heart attack that night, but I was very fortunate in where I was that I had some expert bystanders around who helped with CPR until the team arrived. And from there I have very little recall, so everything I have is what people have told me that went on, but there’s no question that without the expert support and care that I received from the fire service, from the EMS crew that arrived there and actually from all the staff at Blake hospital because it required 10 resuscitations to get me stabilized over the course of about a five hour period. Unbelievably, I was discharged from the hospital two days later.”
“I’m just extraordinarily grateful to everyone involved,” Philippi said.
Firefighter Tyler McDonald receives the first of two Phoenix Awards Aug. 20. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Moore also read an excerpt from a letter written by McDonald praising the actions of Lt. Johnson.
“When Chief Sousa announced his goals to enhance the service of West Manatee Fire Rescue by providing advanced life support, we all knew this was going to be a challenge. Among other hurdles, one of the largest would be staffing our engines with paramedics rather than EMTs. Lt. Johnson was one of the first to offer his time and energy, go to school and be one of the missing pieces of the puzzle. As you know, Lt. Johnson completed paramedic school and has been a charge medic with us for nearly a year,” Moore read.
“On this particular cardiac arrest, I saw everything in a different way. Once the EKG monitor was attached to the patient, I watched a colleague who I’ve worked beside since the beginning of my career, read the squiggly lines on the monitor and immediately identify the abnormal rhythm that the patient’s heart was in and announce without hesitation that we needed to shock this patient. At this moment, this call seared an everlasting memory in my brain.
“As you know, with most cardiac arrests, even the ones that turn out to be saves, it’s only a hopeful ride to the hospital while the patient is still unconscious. This is the first time I have ever seen a cardiac arrest play out like a Hollywood movie where the patient jolts back to life and begins talking to us.”
“How unbelievably rewarding to see the dead come back to life,” Moore continued, reading from McDonald’s letter. “I’m extremely pleased to write this letter on the successful efforts that day and want to ensure that Lt. Johnson is recognized for the time and energy he has spent in order to use his skills as a paramedic and to have played a very large part in saving this man’s life.
“The advanced life support program that was started at West Manatee is an obvious success. I am proud to work with people like Lt. Johnson who always take initiative and have a passion and commitment to be the best they can be in this profession.”
CORTEZ – The Independence Day festivities will continue for an extra day when the Swordfish Grill hosts a legally-permitted fireworks display on Friday, July 5.
Swordfish Grill owner John Banyas obtained a public fireworks display permit from Manatee County on Tuesday and a second permit from the West Manatee Fire Rescue (WMFR) fire department on Wednesday.
Launching at 9 p.m., the permitted July 5 fireworks display will replace the non-permitted July 4 fireworks show that’s become a Cortez tradition in recent years.
On Wednesday, General Manager Bob Slicker said all the restaurant’s waterfront patio tables have already reserved for Friday evening, but there will still be standing-room-only space available.
There will also be seating inside the restaurant and sports bar, and it’ll be business as usual, except the kitchen will close at 8 p.m. so the kitchen staff can enjoy the fireworks.
“Our neighbors at the Cortez Kitchen will also be open and there may be some seats available there too,” Slicker said.
The fireworks will launch from an offshore barge and should also be visible from the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach and along Bradenton Beach’s eastern shoreline.
Tip prompts investigation
Banyas obtained the fireworks permits in response to a June 12 investigation that began with WMFR Fire Inspector Rodney Kwiatkowski responding to two anonymous tips about fireworks being stored at a Cortez home on 124th Street owned by Banyas and rented to Slicker.
“We drove by and confirmed what appeared to be fireworks in an open garage. So, we got the appropriate people together went to the residence, introduced ourselves and asked if we could go in and see what we’re looking at.”
These fireworks were previously stored at Bob Slicker’s rented home in Cortez. – Rodney Kwiatkowski/WMFR | Submitted
Kwiatkowski said the response team included Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies and members of the county bomb squad. He said the bomb squad responded due to the large amount of fireworks being stored.
“There’s no citation. The only issue we had was with the storage being so close to all the residences. The storage was in violation of a county ordinance. They were asked to move them. They obliged and they were going to have them sent back to the company that delivered them. They were very cooperative,” Kwiatkowski said.
“We also let them know that we were available to facilitate the permitting process and walk them through it, which we did. We met with John Banyas, showed him what was required for a permitted fireworks display and pointed him in the direction of some licensed pyrotechnic companies,” Kwiatkowski said.
“We’ve been working with them and the county to help facilitate this. This is the way it’s supposed to work, and everybody wins in the end,” he added.
“I’ll go out during the day and do an inspection during set up to make sure the licensed ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) shooter is there on site. In the evening, we’ll have a dedicated fire engine crew there during the display,” Kwiatkowski said.
Kwiatkowski said it’s legal to possess fireworks in Florida if purchased for agricultural purposes such as scaring off birds or other animals, but it’s illegal to detonate explosive fireworks without a permit. He feels this loophole in Florida law creates confusion and is something WMFR officials hope to close in the future.
“I don’t believe Bob Slicker was intentionally trying to break the law. I think well-intentioned people, because of this law, are put in a position that is unfortunate,” Kwiatkowski said. “We want people to celebrate, but we need them do it in a way that is safe and legal.”
Permitted activity
“This fireworks show has been going on for five years,” Slicker said. “Me and a group of local fishermen and business owners have been doing this to help our community celebrate Cortez and Independence Day. We had the garage door open and we were doing everything out in the public, just as we have for the past five years.
“Until this, we never had a complaint about the fireworks show that has become a community event at no cost to anyone but those who volunteer their own money. This is the first time anybody told us we were doing something wrong. As soon as they did, we stopped and did everything asked of us. We had to move the fireworks and they’re now stored in a safe, secure and approved location,” Slicker said.
These are some of the fireworks that will be launched near the Swordfish Grill Friday night. Rodney Kwiatkowski/WMFR | Submitted
“The fire department, the sheriff’s deputies and the bomb squad were all very kind to us and the county commissioners also helped us. We really appreciate how helpful everyone was in walking us through the permitting process,” Slicker said.
“We actually have more than twice the amount of fireworks the other local paper said we had,” he added, noting that next year’s show will be permitted in time to return to its traditional July 4 date.
The Swordfish Grill will still feature plenty of July 4 activity this year.
“We’ll have our annual hot dog eating contest at 1 p.m. and Tim Chandler will be playing. It’ll be business as usual and you can see many other fireworks shows from our deck,” Slicker said.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue’s soon-to-be Chief Ben Rigney’s employment contract is approved and ready to go into effect when current Chief Tom Sousa retires from the fire service in October.
WMFR’s board of commissioners voted unanimously June 18 to accept the terms of the contract negotiated by board Chair David Bishop. Once the vote was taken, Sousa and the five fire commissioners each took a turn congratulating Rigney on his promotion and the acceptance of the contract.
The contract is for five years and requires Rigney to reside in the district for the entirety of the term. The fire chief position is the only one with WMFR that carries a residency requirement. Until October, Rigney will continue in his current position as battalion chief.
Bishop said that during negotiations he also argued for the chief’s salary to be raised somewhat to come up to current standards and bring it more in line with other Florida fire districts. He said he tried to negotiate a raise for Sousa during his three years as chief, but that Sousa refused.
“When you have talent, you pay for talent, and you have high expectations for results,” Bishop said.
Rigney, a career WMFR firefighter, was selected by commissioners in March to succeed Sousa. He was the only candidate to emerge from a three-month internal selection process and received recommendations not only from commissioners but also from his fellow firefighters.
The candidate selection committee was headed by Commissioner Larry Jennis, who gave Rigney a positive recommendation during the March meeting.
In addition to taking on the mantle of fire chief, Rigney also will be undertaking a two-year training program to achieve the top certification for a fire service officer with the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program. Rigney said the program, previously a four-year endeavor, is undergoing some restructuring and that he hopes to start sometime in the next year. He was accepted in the program in mid-2018.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue commissioners held a public hearing May 21 to discuss the 2019-20 residential and commercial assessment rates. No members of the public offered comment, and commissioners approved a modest increase in rates with a four to one vote.
After being presented with five options ranging from a zero percent increase to a 2.5 percent increase, commissioners voted to adopt a 1.65 percent increase for residential properties and a 5 percent increase for commercial properties.
For residential property owners, the 1.65 increase equals a $3.09 increase in the base rate, increasing from $187.48 to $190.57. The rate per square foot, assessed on home square footage over 1,000 square feet, is being raised from $0.1106 to $0.1124. For a 2,000 square foot home, the total assessment is being raised from $298.08 to $303, a difference of $1.92.
Residential homes make up the majority of the properties in WMFR’s district, which stretches from the Gulf of Mexico on the west, Tampa Bay to the north, Longboat Key to the south and city of Bradenton to the east. The district includes unincorporated Manatee County, Palma Sola, Cortez, Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.
For commercial properties, the increase is slightly higher to bring WMFR’s commercial rates closer to those assessed by other Manatee County fire districts. The base rate is increasing from $451.07 to $473.62 for commercial properties, an increase of $22.55. The per square foot rate for buildings over 1,000 square feet is $0.2051, a $0.0098 increase for square footage over 1,000 square feet. The increase equals a $32.32 total increase for 2,000 square foot commercial properties.
With the increase in assessment rates, WMFR’s projected assessment revenue for the 2019-20 fiscal year is $7,285,989, a $144,203 increase over the current fiscal year.
Commissioner Al Robinson, who voted against the rate increase, said, “I think it’s insignificant in a $7.3 million dollar budget. We don’t need a raise.”
Commissioner George Harris said he was comfortable raising the commercial rates to get the district more in line with the surrounding districts but was happy to only give residents a minimal increase. “It’s nice to give the residents a little break,” he said.
With the rate increases, WMFR’s projected total revenue for the 2019-20 fiscal year is $7,618,556. The new fiscal year begins on October 1.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue commissioners are considering building a new administration building, and they’ve narrowed down potential lots to purchase to two thanks to the help of consultant Bob Gause.
During a May 21 work session, Gause presented commissioners with a report on four available lots that removed two of them from the running – one next door to the district’s temporary offices at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church and another adjacent to King Middle School. Gause said the lot adjacent to the church property is partially used for stormwater retention and wouldn’t be of sufficient size to house an administration building and necessary parking. With the Manatee County School Board unwilling to part with the King Middle School adjacent lot, that choice also was eliminated.
The two options left to commissioners are the old dentist office on Third Avenue across from the church property and an undeveloped lot behind the Fountain Court Shopping Center where Bealls is located on Manatee Avenue.
Commissioners asked Chief Tom Sousa and Chief Ben Rigney to continue looking into the two lots and meet with the owners or their Realtors to see what price the district could get each location for. The undeveloped lot behind the shopping center has frontage on 63rd Street and is 1.88 acres, priced at $295,000. Because the site is undeveloped, Gause said it would require the installation of a lift station and directional boring to gain access to sewer utilities.
The old dentist office site is smaller at 0.65 acres and is priced at $525,000, including the existing office building which would need to be torn down to accommodate a new administration building. The bonus of acquiring this lot, Rigney said, is that it might be possible to share a generator with the nearby WMFR Station 1 on 67th Street.
No matter which lot commissioners choose, the building they’re considering is planned to be a hardened building that could potentially serve as a westside emergency operations center in the event of a hurricane. If commissioners choose to build a hardened building, it could also be created to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour.
WMFR’s other two fire stations, Stations 2 and 3, are both in flood plains and would have to be evacuated in the event of a hurricane, leaving Station 1, and potentially the administration building, as the only places to store both response teams and equipment during a storm event and in the aftermath if the other two stations were damaged or inaccessible.
District resident Derek Warner stepped up to offer commissioners his opinion as a former fire chief. Warner was a part of a team that responded to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He and other first responders from around the country were the ones who orchestrated cleanups, rescues and investigations in a place that was foreign to them after the city’s first responders were scattered due to the storm.
“You have to think about who you want running your disaster – you or people like me who don’t know your situation or community,” he said.
Only a couple of stations and a few pieces of fire equipment in New Orleans survived the hurricane, he noted.
With first responders scattered and unable to respond to emergencies, Warner said the city had to rely on people who were just coming to New Orleans and didn’t have the knowledge that local emergency workers had.
“You want to be in on this,” Warner advised. “You want to be the decisionmakers.”
He encouraged commissioners to not only consider building a hardened structure but one large enough that it could accommodate fire crews, EMS crews, local law enforcement and provide additional areas to store supplies and equipment.
WMFR commissioners are currently considering building a structure around 5,000 square feet or less with the possibility of an additional warehouse-type structure to house additional fire equipment if necessary.
The administration building discussion will continue on June 18 at the next WMFR commission meeting.
