DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — After months of going back and forth over who pays for fire rescue, Leon County commissioners will review a proposed deal on Monday.
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The proposal comes just days after voters elected Jeremy Matlow mayor. The dispute centered on fire fees. Tallahassee raised rates within city limits, and Leon County challenged how the city set those rates.
Now county commissioners will discuss a new memorandum of understanding that may improve their working relationship with the city going forward.
"I am excited and hopeful that our board can get behind the memoranda and foster a new agreement to change the atmosphere that transcends a long-standing difficult relation we've had with the city," Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor said.
In October, county commissioners voted to pursue a new deal with Tallahassee while also drawing up plans for a county fire department.
ABC 27's Lentheus Chaney talked with Proctor, who represents District 1, about what the deal could mean for a fire station his district has been waiting on for more than a decade.
In Proctor's district, one piece of the proposal goes back to 2015. That's when he says the city first proposed building a fire station on Lake Bradford Road. Proctor says the new proposal would cap the cost of building Station 17 at $20 million.
"District 1 is being empowered with a public service that heightens the security, that heightens the protection and should bring the bill down for insurance costs for homeowners and property owners," Proctor said.
County commissioners will review the proposed terms Monday at 3:00 p.m. in Downtown Tallahassee.
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