Midway mulls budget options
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

In a special meeting Feb. 26, Midway Fire Commissioners took yet another look at next year's budget to decide where cuts could be made. As of press time, the commissioners are expecting a cut of over $600,000 to their operating budget. They expect the actual numbers from the county in May.

Board Treasurer Clyde Broome suggested that the board might save over $57,000 in fees from the property appraiser's office. The county's appraiser, Greg Brown, said he did not to waive the fee.

"I told them I would look at it and consider it," Brown said. "If my budget goes down as expected, I don't know how I could do that and finish my work. I didn't promise [Midway Fire] anything. I have a lot of work on my side. I do a considerable amount of work for them. For me to just forgive that fee would not be in the best interest of my office."

At the same Feb. 26 meeting, treasurer Broome once again addressed the budgetary adjustments suggested by the citizenbacked Tax Watch Group.

While the two entities disagree on many budgetary line items, commissioners seemed to agree that the district could cut back on holiday pay for its employees.

Commissioners said they may also consider reducing its medical certification requirements from Advanced Life Support (ALS) to Basic Life Support (BLS).

The next midway meeting is scheduled for March 11 at the Midway Fire station on College Parkway.