Richard Martin is not the first person to suggest that taxpayers might be better off if Hernando County took over the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District, as he did in a letter to the Times last week. A couple of former fire commissioners recently advocated, although much more aggressively than Martin, the same idea, and it's a question other residents ask from time to time.
But people who haven't lived here very long (and some who have, but whose memories are short) might be interested to know that Martin is not the first sitting fire commissioner to call for a county takeover.
In 1993, George Spina was chairman of the fire board. After a a very critical audit threw the fire commissioners into a frenzy of finger pointing, Spina stormed out of a fire commission meeting after declaring his commissioners were "a useless bunch of weak jellyfish."
A few days later Spina stood before the county commissioners and said, "I'm really ashamed at times to be a part of (the fire) commission. We're the laughingstock of Hernando County. There's too much dissension, too many big egos and political agendas." He then asked the county to abolish the board, adding "I see us making the same mistakes over and over again. Some members of the fire board are . . . just not capable of making their own decisions. I am sorry to be part of this circus. Go to one meeting, and you'll see it's a dog-and-pony show."
Spina later changed his mind, before eventually resigning because of poor health.
Who knows? Martin may change his mind, too. But his fellow commissioners don't seem very interested in persuading him. Instead, they are reacting as if Martin has committed the bureaucratic equivalent of blasphemy and are calling for his resignation.
The other commissioners probably would just as soon see Martin call it quits. After Darryl Hamilton resigned last month, Martin finds himself in the frustrating position of being the lone dissenter on the commission. Now, having suggested the unthinkable, he is a marked man.
Chairman Jeffrey Hollander told the Times "Right now (Martin) has zero credibility. Anybody who wants to dismantle our department - by virtue of that stand - he is going to have no credibility."
But, before Hollander or other commissioners become too indignant, perhaps they should ask themselves why they are so afraid to explore the possibility of merging with the county fire department.
If they are so sure Spring Hill residents are getting such a bargain, why not prove it and put the matter to rest once and for all?
Would it be less expensive for Spring Hill residents if they paid a flat fee, as county residents do, instead of basing it on the taxable value of their property? Would consolidation affect the quality of emergency medical care or the department's ability to respond quickly and extinguish a fire? Would the county hire Spring Hill's firefighters, and would they be paid more or less than they are now? Would the expertise and training the Spring Hill firefighters have make the whole county a safer place? How would the county compensate Spring Hill residents for taking possession of the equipment they paid for?
Those seem like reasonable questions that should be asked from time to time, by county commissioners as well as fire commissioners. Those who would resist researching the possibility are more worried about losing their jobs and their power base than they are the cost to taxpayers, which is where Martin aptly says his allegiance lies.
In his letter to the editor, Martin called for ending the "soap opera antics" in the fire district. Given the fire commission's long history of infighting and foolishness, it's hard to argue with his observation.
But Martin, like Spina 11 years ago, has a right to voice his opinion, especially because he is a fire commissioner. Voters will decide if he has "zero credibility" when he seeks reelection this fall.
In the meantime, he should not be maligned for asking a question that lots of other people would like answered.
