By DOTTY NIST
With the approval of two interlocal agreements with the city of Freeport, county commissioners expressed optimism that the city and county would be able to work together in partnership in the future.
The agreements, one providing for the repayment of a loan by Freeport and the other for Walton County to assume responsibility for fire protection within the city, were approved by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) at its Dec. 22 meeting at the Walton County Courthouse.
Walton County Administrator Larry Jones detailed that the county had extended the loan to Freeport for expansion of sewer services to alleviate issues in the bay and to provide for future growth. The loan had been for $2.2 million and had taken place in 2006, according to information provided at the meeting.
The understanding has been that the loan would be repaid from funds received from sewer tap sales, Jones explained. Tap sales had not occurred at the anticipated level.
The city had currently repaid only $369,684 ($288,463 to principal and $81,221 in interest) per information provided.
“We think it’s a good deal,” Jones said of the interlocal agreement before the BCC for repayment of the loan. He said he believed the agreement would be in the best interest of both the city and the county.
The commissioners complimented both Walton County Deputy Administrator Stan Sunday, who had shepherded the proposed interlocal agreements, and Freeport officials and staff for their hard work and cooperation leading up to the two agreements.
District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander said that cleaning up the bay by eliminating septic tanks in its vicinity remained a goal for her and that she would like to see the county continue to work with the city to accomplish this. She mentioned the possibility of putting some RESTORE Act funds to this purpose.
District 2 Commissioner Cecilia Jones noted that the county would be getting a RESTORE Act coordinator. She said she too was anxious to help the city in this regard and suggested taking a regional approach to the issue.
The agreement was approved with aye votes of all four commissioners present.
Turning to the agreement for fire protection services, Jones observed that discussion between the city and the county about the possibility of the county providing these services had been ongoing for over a year. He credited Sunday for his diligence and said that he believed the proposed agreement would strengthen Walton County’s ability to serve its citizens, including Freeport residents, efficiently and in a cost effective manner.
“I’m excited about this,” Comander said as she moved for approval.
County Commission Chairman Bill Imfeld expressed optimism that the cooperation resulting in the proposed agreement would carry forward as a partnership in the future.
The agreement for fire protection also carried with all aye votes.
The loan repayment agreement provides for the city to pay the county $1 million within 10 days of the execution of the agreement, with the county agreeing to forgive $400,000 from the outstanding principal and balance. The remaining $513,429 is to be paid interest free in five equal annual installments, with the first payment due on Dec. 1, 2015.
The fire services agreement provides for the Freeport Fire Department, which currently provides these services within city limits, to become part of Walton County Fire Rescue and come under its operation and management, as of Jan. 3.
The terms of the agreement include the hiring by county of Freeport Fire Department’s seven employees, upon the conditions of a pre-employment physical, drug screening and a probationary period, which would include certification as an emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
Funding requirements include the city either establishing a fire assessment rate equal to the county’s, with those funds to be paid to the county, or the city paying the county an amount equal to the funds that would be collected through such a procedure. A commitment by the city of its current fire impact fee fund to the county for use for new equipment and construction of new facilities will also be required.
Required on date of transfer of responsibility will be a $301,095 payment to the county for estimated cost of operating the fire department for the remainder of the 2014 fiscal year, $7,131 for one-half of the estimated cost of the city’s share of employees’ EMT tuition costs, and $8,304 for one-half of the estimated cost of the city’s share of employee leave time costs.
According to discussion at the meeting, the Freeport City Council had approved the two interlocal agreements in concept and was to consider approving them in their final form at a 7 p.m. Dec. 23 special council meeting.
