Bill > H1587

Introduced Session

An act relating to the East Manatee Fire Rescue District, Manatee County; providing for the merger of the Myakka City Fire Control District into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District; revising boundaries; providing an effective date. WHEREAS, in April 2019, the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Myakka City Fire Control District, a dependent district of Manatee County created pursuant to Manatee County Ordinance 07- 56, and the Board of Fire Commissioners of the East Manatee Fire Rescue District, an independent fire district created by special act, chapter 2005-296, Laws of Florida, began public discussions to merge the dependent district into the independent fire district, and WHEREAS on May 2, 2019, the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners considered the merger of its dependent fire district into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District and the Manatee County Commission voted to support the merger initiative, and WHEREAS, to comply with the Florida constitutional and statutory requirements relating to taxing and regulatory authority, the Myakka City Fire Control District requested the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections to place the following referendum on the August 2020 ballot before the qualified hb1587-02-er ENROLLED 2021 Legislature electors of the Myakka City Fire Control District: Myakka City Fire Control District Merger and Taxation Referendum Shall the Myakka City Fire Control District, a dependent special district of Manatee County, be merged into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District, an independent special district, and become subject to the East Manatee Fire Rescue District's jurisdiction and authority, including the authority under Chapter 191, Florida Statutes, to levy an ad valorem tax in an amount no greater than 1 mil annually? YES-For ______ NO-Against ______ WHEREAS, on August 18, 2020, a majority of the Myakka City Fire Control District's qualified electors voted in favor of the referendum to authorize the merger of the Myakka City Fire Control District into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District and the imposition of an ad valorem tax for such fire rescue services, and WHEREAS, on August 25, 2020, following the certification of the referendum results, the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners reaffirmed the county's approval of the merger of the Myakka City Fire Control District into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District, and WHEREAS, effective October 1, 2020, in anticipation of the hb1587-02-er ENROLLED 2021 Legislature merger of the two fire departments, the Myakka City Fire Control District and the East Manatee Fire Rescue District entered into an interlocal agreement to facilitate the cross-training of employees within both fire departments so that the firefighter personnel from each fire department could become acclimated with the equipment, facilities, protocols, and service areas of both the Myakka City Fire Control District and the East Manatee Fire Rescue District, and WHEREAS, to complete the merger of the Myakka City Fire Control District into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District the East Manatee Fire Rescue District's Special Act, chapter 2005- 296, Laws of Florida, must be amended to incorporate the Myakka City Fire Control District's geographical boundaries into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District's jurisdictional boundaries and Manatee County must dissolve the Myakka City Fire Control District through the adoption of an appropriate county ordinance, and WHEREAS, the East Manatee Fire Rescue District is seeking an amendment to the East Manatee Fire Rescue District's Special Act during the 2021 Legislative Session to authorize the merger of the Myakka City Fire Control District into its jurisdictional boundaries effective October 1, 2021, and WHEREAS, upon the passage of an amendment to the East Manatee Fire Rescue District's Special Act, the Myakka City Fire Control District and the East Manatee Fire Rescue District hb1587-02-er ENROLLED 2021 Legislature anticipate requesting Manatee County's authorization to dissolve the Myakka City Fire Control District through the passage of an appropriate Manatee County Ordinance effective October 1, 2021, and WHEREAS, the merger of the Myakka City Fire Control District into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District has been supported by Manatee County, the Myakka City Fire Control District, and the East Manatee Fire Rescue District governing boards as a means of improving government efficiency, enhancing levels of service, providing additional resources, and delivering cost-effective fire rescue services in eastern Manatee County, and WHEREAS, the merger of the Myakka City Fire Control District into the East Manatee Fire Rescue District will serve a public purpose, provide tax savings for the residents in eastern Manatee County, and has been supported and approved by the qualified voters within the Myakka City area of eastern Manatee County, NOW, THEREFORE,

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Tommy Gregory (R)*, 

Other Sponsors (1)

Chapter No. 2021-257 (on 07/06/2021)

Official Document