Volume 27 Issue 21 October 4, 2019
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Unincorporated Area To Be Served By TFR Again? By JOHN C. COTEY
john@ntneighborhoodnews.com
W
hen roughly 5,000 residents in Pebble Creek, Live Oake, Cross Creek and other communities located in unincorporated Hillsborough County lost their City of Tampa fire rescue service in 2018, Hillsborough County turned to nearby Pasco County for service. With a new mayor in office, they have now turned back to Tampa. On September 18, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) agreed by a 7-0 vote to finalize an agreement with the City of Tampa to restore its fire service to the area, which former Mayor Bob Buckhorn ended in 2017 after demanding the county pay roughly five times what it was already paying. Under the new proposed agreement, the county will pay the city $600,000 a year for service from the four stations located in New Tampa. It also gave a 90-day notice to Pasco County which, in lieu of the City of Tampa, has been providing service for the unincorporated area since 2018. “This is great news for New Tampa,” said Hillsborough County commissioner Ken Hagan, who represents the New Tampa area in District 2. “Restoring Tampa’s fire rescue service to unincorporated New Tampa was my No.1 priority. It was the first thing I met with (newly elected) Mayor Jane
for help. For $275,000 a year, Castor about when Pasco — primarily Pasco County she got elected. I’m Fire Rescue Station No. 26, located absolutely thrilled that in the nearby Meadow Pointe I we’ve reached an agreecommunity of Wesley Chapel — ment in principle.” provided emergency services to District 6 Comunincorporated New Tampa. missioner Pat Kemp “Pasco has done a good job, agreed, and offered but the reality is the response times thanks to Mayor Casare longer,” Hagan said. “A few tor for being open to calls have taken over 20 minutes renegotiating. to respond. I’ve also heard hor“This is the most ror stories from residents who have sensible and safe soluhad to call 911 a second time or tion to serve the resihave taken matters into their own dents there,” Kemp said. The nearest Hills- Newly completed Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 23, pictured above, will hands and driven loved ones to the borough County Fire be one of four area fire rescue stations to once again service the unicor- ER themselves. As a result, New porated areas in New Tampa that include Pebble Creek, Live Oak, Cross Tampa has been begging the county Rescue Station is the Creek and Branchton Park. to contract with Tampa.” University Area Station Pebble Creek residents created No.5 on E. 139th Ave., ultimately restore service, and unfora Facebook page and online petition which is more than 10 miles from most tunately, that required a new Mayor,” asking the County to build a fire staof Pebble Creek. Hagan said. tion closer to them. So while the $600,000 is nearly In 2017, Buckhorn said the City While Tampa’s closer fire rescue stathree times what the county was paying of Tampa would no longer provide fire tions could still respond to emergencies in its previous agreement with the City rescue service to the unincorporated if the Pasco Fire Rescue Trucks were ocof Tampa, “it is $900,000 less than portion of New Tampa, which it had cupied — due to a mutual aid agreement what the City previously wanted, and done since 1998 with some combinabetween the counties — all local calls in it is far less than what it would cost to tion of Fire Stations No. 20 in Tampa construct and operate a fire station in Palms and Nos. 21(located across Cross the unincoporated areas were diverted first to Pasco Fire Rescue. the area,” Hagan said. Creek Blvd. from the Cross Creek A return to the old agreement, Hagan said he recently spoke at a community) and 22 on Cross Creek Hagan says, is simply more convenient, Homeowners Association meeting in Blvd., In February, another station, Cross Creek, and fire rescue service was No. 23, opened just off of County Line and safer, for area residents. “I can tell you, the community is one of the first concerns raised. He Rd. on Trout Creek Dr., essentially surabsolutely delighted that Tampa Fire says he came to the BOCC with nine rounding unincorporated New Tampa Rescue is once again going to be proletters of support from HOAs in the with fire rescue stations. viding service to unincorporated New Without coverage from the city, unincorporated areas of New Tampa. Tampa,” Hagan said. Hillsborough turned to Pasco County “The best-case scenario was to
Inside: Another Chance To Win FREE Dining In Our 2019 Dining Survey & Contest! See page 39! New Businesses Coming Aldi has its eyes on the former Ruby Tuesday location. Pages 14-15
Little Feet Shoes Store on S.R. 56 promises the right fit for your kids’ shoes. Pages 30-31
OTB Delights Café The breakfast is delicious, but OTB also offers meal deliveries. Pages 42-43