By DOTTY NIST
In September, Ron Romano of Beach Group Realty, who has been leasing the South Walton Fire District’s (SWFD) property on CR-395 South, had given the South Walton Fire District notice (SWFD) that he intended to exercise his right to purchase the property. At the fire district’s Nov. 7 regular meeting, the fire commissioners approved a recommendation by Marc Anderson, assistant chief, in favor of a $700 bid by Humphrey & Associates to do an appraisal on the CR-395 property in preparation for the sale of the property. Humphrey & Associates had been the only appraisal company to respond to the SWFD’s request for bids.
The property served for many years as the site of the SWFD Seagrove station prior to the construction of the current station serving the Seagrove area, Station 2, which is located just north of the WaterColor Crossing shopping center.
Mary Kraemer, SWFD board attorney, told the board members that they should know the purchase price of the property by the time of their Jan. 6 regular meeting. She said the end of March would be the target date for a closing.
SWFD Fire Chief Rick Talbert reported the fire district’s Oct. 22 open house to have been well attended. He credited SWFD crews with great preparation and hosting for the event, which highlighted safety.
Talbert said SWFD personnel had provided medical support at several public events over the past month.
As part of a report on the SWFD’s emergency response activity for October, Talbert noted that personnel had responded to 12 fires and 192 medical emergencies.
Fire Commissioner Brian Christenson observed that morale was down among personnel. He offered to do a survey of the SWFD stations and try to identify ways to improve morale in the organization, possibly by improvements to station buildings and facilities. A motion approving Christenson to do as he had suggested and report to Talbert on his findings carried with all aye votes.
The next meeting of the South Walton Fire District is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Dec. 5. SWFD regular meetings are held at the organization’s headquarters on CR-393 North.