TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Leon County commissioners have decided to pursue two paths at once in their long-running fire services dispute with the City of Tallahassee, voting unanimously Tuesday to reopen talks on the current agreement while also laying the groundwork for a fire department run by the county.
The vote came during a workshop on fire rescue, where commissioners heard from two outside firms. Benesch, hired to review billing, collections and records, found the fire services fund came up short by roughly $15 million to $21.2 million over fiscal years 2024 and 2025, a gap blamed on missing and inconsistent billing. County Attorney Chasity O’Steen told the board that money would have covered the $11.5 million increase the city sought in 2025.
The second firm, Fitch and Associates, spent about 10 months on its review. It concluded that residents are served well today, that stations and crews are deployed at the right size and that the county’s six volunteer fire departments remain essential. The real problem, the consultants said, is the 2009 interlocal agreement, which has been amended six times and is hard to interpret and enforce. They called those problems fixable and recommended the two-track approach.
Commissioners also asked Benesch to determine whether the county suffered any damages from how the city managed the fire fund. The city has said it will defend itself against the county’s allegations.
Taking over would not be cheap. Buying six existing city fire stations would cost about $30 million, and start-up costs would rise without automatic aid agreements that send the nearest unit regardless of city limits.
Commission Chairman Christian Caban said the plan positions the county to strike a deal with the new city commission taking office next month, or to start its own department if talks fail. The board is set to take up the matter again on Nov. 17, which would start a 90-day window for negotiations and planning.
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