Residents’ property tax dollars in Sumter County will continue to support The Villages Public Safety Department.
Sumter County commissioners unanimously approved Tuesday night a new interlocal agreement with Village Center Community Development District to fund The Villages Public Safety Department through Sept. 30, 2024. Those funds will be kept separate from what the county uses for its own Sumter County Fire and EMS, so taxpayers can see clearly where the money is going to each department.
A new agreement was needed to fund VPSD beyond Sept. 30 after Villages residents voted against the creation of an independent special fire district last November.
As part of the agreement, VPSD will continue to operate ambulances in the community for at least another year.
VPSD provided 6,854 ambulance transports from Oct. 1, 2022 through the end of January with an average response time of 8 minutes, 12 seconds.
Under the agreement, VPSD and Sumter County Fire and EMS will continue to operate within their respective boundaries, while providing support to each other through mutual aid requests.
Also included is an amendment for Sumter County to field 911 calls from newer areas of The Villages that reach into Lake County with VCCDD reimbursing the county $138 for each call, a rate agreed upon by both sides.
A countywide fire assessment fee will still be collected. A study approved by commissioners last year will explore possible adjustments to that fee.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold said the plan is to keep a flat residential rate per parcel, but move to a tiered rate for commercial properties based on square footage.
The fire assessment rate will be set July 18 at a regular commission meeting.
Also Tuesday:
• Commissioners unanimously approved a contract for about $6.7 million with CWR Contracting for construction on County Road 525E to improve access at the Gov. Rick Scott Industrial Park. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in Oct. 2021 a $6 million grant from the state, which will cover most of the cost to expand the road from two lanes to four lanes on a 1.5-mile stretch from U.S. Highway 301 to CR 514. The improved road will eventually service the future Rep. Marlene O’Toole Industrial Park to the east of U.S. 301, which will have about 7-million square feet of light industrial space, and the planned 2,000-acre Monarch Grove Industrial Area to the north.
• Commissioners unanimously approved rezoning about 244 acres north of County Road 470 and west of Interstate 75 in the Lake Panasoffkee area. They also approved a special use permit for the construction of five rapid infiltration ponds for wastewater effluent on the property. The proposed project will meet Southwest Florida Water Management District and Florida Department of Environmental Protection requirements for water quality and protection, and will not encroach on wetlands on the property. The site is surrounded by a mix of agribusiness and industrial uses including a sanitary landfill and a fertilizer supplier.
• Commissioners approved future land-use changes for about 395 acres in Oxford. The area will be classified for rural residential uses from agricultural after it was reviewed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
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