An article in the October issue of the POA Bulletin contains a good analysis of the proposed Villages Fire District, supporting the POA’s recommendation that we vote NO. If you missed reading the article or need to refresh your memory before voting, here is a link: https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=https://poa4us.org/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/Bulletins/2022-10-Bulletin.pdf&hl=en. In addition to the three primary reasons specified in the article, there is another to reason to vote NO on the Fire District: The proponents of the Fire District (Developer-appointed local officials, Developer’s employee Representative Hage, and Developer-owned Daily Sun) are asking us, the residents of Sumter County, to buy the proverbial pig in a poke.
Here is what I mean: The proponents of the proposed Fire District, which will be controlled by unelected representatives (presumably designated, or at least approved, by the Developer) for the first four years, have the burden of presenting us with the DETAILS of the proposal. For example:
• What entity currently owns each of the existing fire stations and how much was the Developer paid for those owned by CDD’s and under what pricing formula?
• Exactly what assets (including cash) and liabilities of the Villages Public Safety Department will be transferred to the proposed new Fire District?
• How will operations of the new Fire District be financed, particularly during the first four years?
• How will the price of future fire stations purchased by the Fire District from the Developer be determined, particularly during the first four years?
Only the proponents of the Fire District are in a position to give us answers to questions like those, but they have not done so, and the propaganda in the Daily Sun is long on platitudes and short on facts.
In summary, there are a number of reasons not to buy a pig in a poke by voting yes on the Fire District. A NO vote seems even more prudent when one remembers the maxim: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. With the acquisition of the new ambulances, there is no need to try to fix the Villages Public Safety Department, especially when the proposed fix will almost certainly result in an increase in our taxes.
Scott Fenstermaker is a resident of the Village of Winifred.
