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Fire district mediation ordered
By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK, Times Staff Writer BROOKSVILLE -- A circuit judge has denied Brooksville's request for a temporary injunction to stop Hernando County from taking over the Township 22 fire district. Instead, Judge John Booth has ordered the two governments to enter immediate mediation on the fire district's control. Representatives of each side must come to the session with full authority to enter into "full and complete discussion of compromise and settlement," Booth wrote in his order. He further wrote that the court will sanction parties that do not participate. Participants must be prepared to spend as much time as necessary to settle the matter or reach an impasse as determined by the mediator, Booth said. The Brooksville City Council met Monday to discuss Booth's decision. They voted to pursue the case and to name Vice Mayor Richard Lewis to represent them at the mediation, which is scheduled for Friday. If the talks fail, Booth has indicated he can have a quick hearing on a permanent injunction or other necessary action. The county is poised to take over Township 22 on Oct. 1. City Council member Joe Johnston III said he was pleased with the turn of events. "Our whole main thing is we need to get it resolved and we need to get it resolved quickly," Johnston said. Because Booth is a senior judge not bound by a massive schedule, Johnston said, the city's loss of the temporary injunction is minor. If a full-time judge had to hear the case, Johnston figured, it could be delayed well past Oct. 1, possibly making the issue moot. He contends that the county has no right to take over the district, served by the city for 34 years, because voters established the district. "Our position is they ought to put it on the ballot," Johnston said. "Let the people of Township 22 decide." Assistant County Attorney Kurt Hitzemann, who argued the county's position, said he was pleased with the judge's ruling. "It's what I thought it would be," he said. "We'll meet again Friday and see how that goes." County commissioners also are expected to get a briefing on the issue during their meeting today.
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