Fire tax, yard trash fee to be discussed at Marianna workshop

By KATE McCARDELL KERN /Floridan Staff Writer
Published: July 2, 2008

The City of Marianna will hold a public workshop Wednesday, July 16, to discuss a fire tax fee and the city’s yard trash pick-up fee.

The workshop will be held at 5:30 p.m., at Marianna City Hall.

“Marianna’s existing fire service tax was initiated back in 1986, for the purchase of equipment and capital improvements,” said Marianna City Manager Jim Dean.

Dean said that, since it was initiated, Marianna residents have been paying $1 per month per residence and $1.50 per month per commercial property for fire service.

“We’re just asking to take a look at it and revisit it,” said Dean.

He said the fire tax revenue is used for equipment for the fire department to provide service not only to citizens of Marianna, but also five miles outside the city limits. That distance is covered by MFD when the department is needed as part of an interlocal aid agreement between Jackson County and the city.

“Also, if we want to have the ability to improve our ISO (Insurance Service Office) rating, we need to revisit this surcharge,” said Dean.

The Insurance Service Office provides up-to-date information about communities’ fire protection services to insurance companies, which “helps establish appropriate fire insurance premiums for residential and commercial properties,” according to the ISO Web site, http://www.iso.com .

The ISO collects information on fire protection efforts and analyzes that data using its Fire Supression Rating Schedule.

“We then assign a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10. Class 1 represents exemplary public protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire-suppression program doesn’t meet ISO’s minimum criteria,” according to the ISO Web site.

Basically, we’re in this organization that rates communities for their fire service and ability to provide fire service. The lower the rating number, the better your fire insurance premium will be,” explained Dean.

The other item to be discussed at the July 16 workshop is the city’s yard trash pick-up fee.

“We’re dealing with yard trash collection through out the city. When it was first implemented, it was decided that we would revisit it in about four to six months and so now we’re at that threshold,” said Dean.

Those interested in following meetings of the City of Marianna might take note that the next regular 6 p.m. monthly commission meeting has been rescheduled to Wednesday, July 9, due to the July 4 holiday.