A proposed fire fee increase in St. Cloud has people concerned about how much money they might soon be shelling out, but city officials said they are working to find alternative — and cheaper — options.
The current proposal is to remove the existing $36-per-year emergency response free and implement a new fee.
As part of the new fee, homeowners would pay $186 per year. Businesses and industrial sites might be required to pay even more, though, because they would be charged per square foot.
St. Cloud has started to annex portions of Osceola County into the city. Due to the annexation and the future growth anticipated, city officials said they would need to build more stations.
The increased fire fee would help build the new stations.
"The more we grow, the more of a demand we will have for those services," St. Cloud Fire Chief William Sturgeon said.
Fire Station No. 33 is currently located in a trailer. St. Cloud officials said even firefighters have to evacuate the trailer during weather emergencies.
The idea is to build a more permanent home with the new fire fee.
During a workshop Thursday, St. Cloud City Council members decided it was time to look at other alternatives to raise the money. Some of the options include raising ad valorem taxes or coming up with a smaller fire fee.
The City Council is expected to discuss alternatives at its April 23 meeting.