Midway reinstates two
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

South Santa Rosa County voters, by passing Amendment 1 and overwhelmingly rejecting a fire assessment referendum, told Midway Fire Commissioners that their budget must be trimmed back. Now it's up to the commissioners and staff to find a way to reduce spending without irresponsibly reducing emergency response services. The fire district originally fired four employees, and rehired two until further notice. The firings are due to a deficit of more than $600,000 in the next year's budget due to the passage Amendment 1.

Immediately following the referendum's failure on Jan. 29, Fire Chief Stephen Demeter dismissed two additional firefighters, bringing the total number of downsized firefighters to four. At the Feb. 12 meeting, commissioners proposed cutting six additional firefighters, bringing the total number of layoffs to 10.

In a meeting room filled with firefighters and concerned residents, the board members eventually voted to reinstate two of the laid off firemen to "improve the morale" of the Midway Fire District staff.

The employees were to be paid for the next 30 days after the referendum, and commissioners argued to reinstate them because the department was already paying them.

Citizen Dave Szymanski was on hand with other members of Midway Fire Tax Watch Group and offered a three-page set of suggestions to help Midway reduce its budget, including a reduction in Chief Demeter's salary. Commissioner Clyde Broome rejected the list as "ridiculous."