Tallahassee, Fla. — Leon County commissioners are lining up an Oct. 20 workshop on the future of fire coverage in the unincorporated area after outside reviews sketched two costly paths forward.
Fitch and Associates, hired after the city moved to end its fire contract with the county last year, urges a dual-track approach: renegotiate the interlocal deal with Tallahassee while staff also drafts a county-run fire model.
The workshop agenda cites roughly 97 percent of calls answered in 13 minutes or less under the current city-provided setup and calls that arrangement highly effective for response times.
A standalone county department would need about six stations, roughly 80 new full-time jobs and about $30.1 million in startup money, including buying existing stations from the city. First-year costs would run higher than staying with the city, though Fitch projects lower costs later.
Consultants also warn a county ISO rating could slip from Class 3/3X toward Class 5/5X, a change that can nudge property insurance premiums in unincorporated neighborhoods unless an automatic-aid pact keeps the closest unit rolling.
A separate Benesch Public Finance review highlighted billing gaps of about $15.8 million to $21.2 million in how fire assessment money was handled, including inconsistent billing at some public properties and missing months of invoices. That shortfall fed the fee fight that pushed the contract toward expiration.
Under a five-year city renegotiation track, annual operating costs are projected to climb from about $12 million toward $18.8 million. A county-run model is pegged near $18.7 million a year after startup, still funded through the Fire Services Assessment Fee with higher rates expected either way.
If the board keeps the dual path, staff would spend about 90 days talking with the city while building the county plan, with a clearer decision window pointed toward March. The current interlocal clock runs to Sept. 30, 2028.
Section: More Tallahassee FL crime news
