BARTOW, Fla. — Bartow firefighter Shane Evans takes pride in being able to help others in their most desperate time.
“It definitely is the worst day of their life. Maybe not to that extent all the time, but we’re there to help bring order to chaos,” Evans said.
With a population surge in Bartow, particularly in the northern part, the fire department is getting more calls for help. However, it can take longer for firefighters to get to that part of town because of the high traffic volume on U.S. 98.
WATCH Polk County and Bartow joint fire station will serve growing population
“Certain times of the day, we have more traffic than usual, so that can make it a challenge,” Evans said.
The City of Bartow and Polk County leaders have come up with a plan to build and share a new fire station.
“When you have growth, you have traffic, and that creates delays. We want to be at the right place at the right time, whenever we are needed,” said Mike Herr, Bartow City Manager.
After mapping out calls for service, the city and the county decided that they needed a fire station in the same area. The $12 million joint fire station located along Smith Lane near U.S. 98 will serve the fast-growing population in North Bartow, Highland City, and unincorporated Polk County.
The agreement calls for a 60% county and 40% city split on the costs, with maintenance being split in half.
“We’re both building once, opening once, staffing once. It's better service for our citizens. It just makes good sense,” said Herr.
It's a more cost-effective and efficient model when seconds matter most.
“I think it’s going to be a good thing, especially for our citizens. It helps us give them better care and services,” Evans said.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
