The LBTS Town Commission has rejected a proposal to im-
mediately terminate its firefighting contract with the Broward
Sheriff’s Office and turn all fire suppression responsibilities
over to a volunteer fire department. The Commission did
vote, however, to allow other professional fire departments
in Broward County to compete against the BSO for a future
contract to serve the town.
The votes came just a day be-
fore the BSO announced that
it has reached a major agree-
ment with Pompano Beach to
provide additional firefighting
assistance to LBTS. Under the
agreement, Pompano Beach
will automatically dispatch fire-
fighters and equipment from
its station near Atlantic Blvd.
on A1A any time there is a fire
call in LBTS, at no expense
to the town. This will assure
that LBTS is fully covered by
professional firefighters in the
event BSO has equipment out
of service or is tied up on an-
other call.
Firefighting has been a contentious issue in LBTS since last
November, when the BSO fired the LBTS volunteer fire de-
partment after a series of incidents which BSO said put the
town’s safety at risk. Commissioners Jim Silverstone and
Jerry McIntee, who also serve as the chief and deputy chief
of the VFD, have been fighting to bring the VFD back into
service and to restore their paid positions with the depart-
ment. They have sued the town and they have also voted
several times to reinstate the VFD.
Their latest effort failed by a vote of 3-2 at the Sept. 27
commission meeting. McIntee made a motion to terminate
the contract with BSO and reinstate the VFD immediately
as the town-wide fire department. His motion also would
have shifted $90,000 from the
town’s budget into the VFD
immediately
for
transition
costs and salaries. Silverstone
earned more than $25,000 last
year as the chief and McIntee
was paid more than $6,000 as
deputy chief of the VFD. (See
reality check on page 6).
“I think you’ve gone off the
deep end,” said Vice Mayor
John Yanni, adding that McIn-
tee’s motion w