City considers monitoring alarm systems
BY VICI PAPAJOHN Gulf Breeze News vici@gulfbreezenews.com

City leaders are thinking out of the box when it comes to alternative revenue services. Monitoring security systems and accident review fees are just two of the ideas being tossed around to create additional capital for the municipal government.

The City of Gulf Breeze worked for most of the year to find new funding vehicles for its nearly $18 million budget. State legislation set guidelines for decreases in millage rates at the same time that property values and assessment values declined. According to county and city officials, Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser Greg Brown rolled back property assessments in 2007 to match property value declines for the first time in known local history.

In addition to rate increases on water and sewer fees, dump fees and boat launching fees, the city has considered creative alter-

Community input tabled discussion about an RV park in Shoreline Park and the current option being explored is city implementation of alarm monitoring by the Gulf Breeze Police Department (GBPD). City Manager Edwin 'Buz' Eddy explained at the Gulf Breeze Chamber Governmental Affairs Meeting that the move would improve response time as well as provide some much-needed funding. Eddy stressed that, if possible, the city could piggyback with local entities such as Smith Security that currently offers the service.

At a recent city council meeting, representatives of the Alarm Association of Florida (AAF) expressed concern over the proposal. They stated liability, technical and financial concerns as the primary reasons they would not recommend the city explore such an activity.

"Twelve cities who made such a decision are currently reconsidering alarm monitoring," stressed AAF Executive Director Bob Neely.

"An alarm monitoring system requires more than a computer software package," challenged Norm Mugford, also with AAF. "Additional phone lines are required and the increasing transmissions through the Internet may delay response time instead of improving it." Mugford explained that it is a complicated balance between immediate response times and call verification required by law.

GBPD Chief Peter Paulding also proposed that the council consider accident review fees and police response fees for outof town motorists involved in accidents.

"Highway 98 streams through the heart of the City of Gulf Breeze and monopolizes a majority of the hours we spend on traffic enforcements and traffic responses and we are not compensated for the time by the state or the county. About 95 percent of the crashes that occur in the city are on Highway 98 or the bridge," Paulding said. "And our residents pay the taxes that fund the police force. An alternative funding for that time should be considered."

Paulding proposed a fee based on the response. The amount of such fees could vary and the idea is still being developed.

Scott Page contributed to this article.