No Change in Road Impact Fees: Good or Bad Decision?

The county commissioners recently voted 3-2 to reject a consultant’s recommendations concerning revised road impact fees.

Effective Jan. 1, 2008 the road impact fee on a new single-family home would have gone to $10,588 instead of $6,107; the road impact fee for a 10,000-square-foot medical office would have dropped from $200,000 to $35,190.

The downturn in the local housing market was given as a reason for not making the changes.

Was this an appropriate decision, or should the BCC have adopted the impact fee change recommendations?

Open Thread

{This thread is closed. Use the new "Open Thread" posted on September 26 for your discussion topics.}

If you would like a change of pace from some of the other discussion topics, use this thread to start discussion on a new subject(s). We have closed the previous Open Thread, which was getting pretty full.

Our new thread is not meant to close off discussion on other topics (e.g., EMSA, James’ appointment, etc.). However, we want to give you an opportunity to speak your mind on other hot items.

There was a suggestion to start covering the City Elections to be held in October. We will do that. However, it’s a bit early since we don’t yet know all the key players who will be running for office. A few may even be unopposed. We’ll wait a few more weeks to see how things shake out.

Governor Selects Bobby James as Kelly School Board Replacement

The Governor is about to announce the appointment of former Dunnellon Principal Bobby James as the replacement for Kurt Kelly on the School Board. As you know, there has been some controversy about whether Mr. James met the residence requirement. Originally disqualified, he was given the opportunity to change his residency and reapply for the opening; the deadline for filing applications apparently being extended by the Governor’s appointment office.

Those not selected includes: Community activist Pat Gabriel; real estate broker, former Dunnellon City Council member Valerie Porter-Hanchar; Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association executive vice president Richard "Dick" Hancock; educator and community activist Roosevelt Rimes; former UF football star, Judd Davis; lawyer Stephen Shaw; Howard Gunn, chairman of Front Porch Ocala.

So tell us: Is this a good appointment?

EMSA: Remain Independent or Merge?

The nonprofit Emergency Medical Services Alliance (EMSA, as the local ambulance service is commonly known), with an annual budget of $18 million and 250 employees, was organized under a five-year contract that was only intended to bridge the gap toward a more permanent operational and funding solution. A deadline is rapidly approaching by which the partners are to specify their future intentions beyond the agreement’s expiration date of September 30, 2008.

There is a significant question about whether the City of Ocala, Munroe Regional Medical Center and Ocala Regional Medical Center will even remain as partners and what that decision means for both EMSA's governance and finances, since the two hospitals each contribute almost $1.7 million a year and the City $1 million.

A citizen's task force is currently studying the EMSA situation to make a recommendation to the County Commission. The options seem to be: (1) continue the current autonomous arrangement (perhaps with some financing modifications) or (2) fold EMSA into the existing County Fire-Rescue operation. No matter which option is selected, the County Commission remains legally responsible for providing ambulance service.

EMSA staff is concerned about whether the ambulance fleet will be folded into Marion County Fire-Rescue, as opposed to remaining a relatively autonomous organization. Additionally, the County’s Fire-Rescue operation would have some important integration issues to work out if it takes over EMSA (e.g., EMSA ambulance crews/paramedics needing training as firefighters; all county firefighters already have certification as paramedics).

Tell us what you think the County should do concerning providing ambulance service to its citizens.