Columbia County News
Columbia County Residents Blindsided By Triple Digit Insurance
Rate
Increases
Columbia County, FL (posted March 12, 2009)
Part II
by Stew Lilker
Recently, South Columbia County residents were blindsided by
triple digit insurance rate increases. The cause -- the County
Commission failed to keep residents within the five mile zone of
protection of a fire department.
The High Springs fire department is ready to protect South
Columbia County again. Now they sit idle waiting for
Columbia County to act. (Observer Photo)
Five hundred and seventy six families in the south end and
particularly the families in Commissioner Dewey Weaver’s
District II, were hardest hit, your reporter included. Why?
Columbia County cancelled its contract with the High Springs FD
for no good reason.
Your insurance company wants to know how far you are from the
fire department of first response. If you are more than five
miles away, one is subject to much higher insurance rates. In
the case of your reporter, his homeowners insurance went from an
almost affordable $789 to $1117. All but $31 dollars of this 36%
increase is represented by increased fire insurance due to the
decrease in first response protection by Columbia County.
History -- Residents kept in the dark
Since 1980, the residents of South Columbia County were well
served by the High Springs FD. High Springs’ rates were
reasonable, their fire department was professional and response
times were second to none.
The system worked well for all parties until Columbia County
decided to form its own Fire Department in 2006. It is then that
things began to fall apart between the County and High Springs.
Columbia County kept its residents in the dark regarding High
Springs’ fire protection during this time. Folks in the south
end were unaware that Columbia County was refusing to pay its
bills to High Springs and that they were in jeopardy of losing
the fire and EMT services on which they had come to rely. Five
hundred and seventy six families were about to have their five
mile radius of protection disappear. (Insurance companies and
the fire rating agency, the ISO, consider five miles to be the
maximum distance from a fire house for ideal coverage).
Columbia County’s residents were getting a good deal.
During the first week in October of 2006, County Attorney
stand-in William Whitley met with officials of High Springs,
including City Manager, Jim Drum.
Mr. Whitley reported to County Manager Dale Williams that
after a fairly lengthy discussion, which concerned the lack of
and poor communications between the County and High Springs, all
of the information requested by the County’s purchasing director
and Fire Chief was provided. Mr. Whitley told the County Manager
that High Springs made a good case for their need of an increase
of payment. “They want $17,500 per year,” he said.
Mr. Whitley told County Manager Williams that the City
Manager gave him a letter terminating the 1980 interlocal
agreement in 30 days. Mr. Whitley said High Springs would be
happy to negotiate a new agreement or continue on a
month-to-month basis for a while. Mr. Whitley told the County
Manager, “I think they are determined to get their money in any
further interlocal with us.”
Neither County Manager Dale Williams, nor District II
Commissioner, Dewey Weaver, ever advised the residents in the
South End of Columbia County they were about to lose the
protection of the High Springs Fire Department.
By January of 2007, Columbia County was still refusing to pay
its fire bills to High Springs for the years 2004-05 and
2005-06. Then, Columbia County refused to pay its month to month
bills for December 2006 and January 2007.
At the January 11, 2007 High Springs board meeting, the High
Springs Herald reported that, “Southern Columbia County is still
in danger of losing High Springs’ fire and rescue services.”
The High Springs Herald article went on to say, “Upset with a
lack of communication, timely payments or a draft contract for
fire and rescue services, city commissioners are again
considering asking the county to hurry up the process or risk
ending negotiations for the renewal of the contract.”
On January 22, 2007, the Mayor of High Springs was forced to
write to the then Chairman of the Columbia County Commission,
Elizabeth Porter, saying among other things: If we do not
receive the $15,000 in back payments, payment for the months of
December 2006 and January 2007, and the proposed service
agreement within the time period requested (30 days), I expect
that this issue will be placed on the agenda for the first
meeting in March for possible action by the High Springs City
Commission. Your prompt action will avoid the possibility of
fire-rescue services being terminated.
On January 24, 2007, County Manager Dale Williams complained
to High Springs that he was miffed by his treatment by the High
Springs Herald and the statements made by some High Springs
officials claiming that Columbia County was “dawdling.”
Accused of dawdling – the County dawdled some more.
Then, after dawdling for almost two more months, it took the
direct intervention of Board Chairperson Elizabeth Porter to
keep the ball on the court. On March 15th, the Columbia County
Board approved a tentative agreement, sight unseen, with the
City of High Springs – almost. The agreement needed another
“do-over” due to the bungling of the County and the final
version of the Columbia County – High Springs Fire Interlocal
was executed on April 12, 2007.
Finally, the residents of South Columbia County had
professional, 24/7 Fire Fighter/EMT protection only minutes from
their families. This was to be short lived.
Without one word to anyone and for no good reason, two months
later on June 29, Columbia County canceled their agreement with
High Springs effective October 1, 2007.
The news of the cancellation of the High Springs – Columbia
County Fire Interlocal was revealed during a workshop, when, on
August 2, 2007, Columbia County’s EMS Director, Rusty Noah,
reported to the Board that “the county is no longer contracting
with High Springs.”
During the ill attended workshop, both Fire Chief Atkinson
and EMS director Noah presented an alternative plan, which would
not have left the South End of the County in the cold. The
County Commission ignored their proposal and instead said that
“High Springs should be asked again about a month to month
contract for fire suppression.”
It is unknown if Columbia County ever contacted High Springs
before the interlocal expired. What is certain is that it did
expire and no one knew.
The south end residents, mostly in Dewey Weaver’s District
II, were about to get blindsided with skyrocketing insurance
premiums, less coverage, higher special assessments, longer
response times and the potential of life threatening situations.
The Columbia County fathers did what they always do best,
unless they are making a deal for one of the Good Old Boys –
they dragged their feet and looked the other way and in so
doing, put the working families of Columbia County and everybody
else in harm’s way.
In the aftermath of the fire in Bluebird Landing, your
reporter spoke with County Manager, Dale Williams. When the
Observer explained to the County Manager that the folks who
originally discovered the fire called the High Springs Fire
Department, the County Manager asked why they didn’t call 911,
first. The Observer asked, “Why would they if they thought High
Springs was their fire department? Did the county every notify
anybody down there that it wasn’t?”
The County Manager was silent.
