RESIDENT SUES PEMBROKE PINES OVER FIRE FEE

Miami Herald Friday , Sep. 21, 2007

Pembroke Pines resident Phil McConaghey filed a lawsuit against City Hall on Thursday alleging the city's fire fee hike is illegal.

McConaghey, a longtime activist, said the city's fire assessment increase from $74.98 to $153.48 per household to fill the fire department's budget is unfair.

He said 24 percent of the fire department calls don't come from property owners or their renters.

''Some are car fires and in the public right of way,'' said McConaghey adding that money to pay for those accidents should come from city taxes, not fees.

But Mayor Frank Ortis dismissed McConaghey's allegations, saying he lacked expertise on the topic.

''I'm going to support our city attorney who is a friend of the court,'' Ortis said. ``While I might respect Phil's opinion, Phil is not an attorney.''

In 2002, McConaghey won a lawsuit that changed the way cities charged for ambulance services. The Florida Supreme Court ruled that it's illegal for cities to charge a flat fee for each piece of property to pay for ambulance services.

--

I have stated I do not post illness data on this Blog unless I have the patient's permission and I do for Bobbie. It can lead to something we need to keep in mind. Bobbie was alone in her home and felt real weak all of a sudden but had no chest or leg pains. Just real drowsy. She drove by herself to her doctor who asked how she arrived there? She replied that she drove by herself and he responded that she is not going home that way. Her pulse rate was down to something like thirty-six and he sent her to a coronary physician via the 911 truck and the ending was she is now wearing a pacemaker. It took less than two hours and was painless and now Bobbie is high tech and good for another 10,000 miles but she really had a close call. The doc said if she had fallen asleep it probably would have been for eternity. So, the lesson is that even without chest or other pains the old ticker could be winding down and don't be too proud to ever call 911. Bobbie was lucky. Bobbie grew up in Rolling Hills and now lives out near Mt. Lebanon and her cheerful face was a member of the Class of 1951 majorette corps. Sens a card or give her a call.

The class of 1952 recently had a very successful 55th reunion at the South Hills Country Club. The effort was spearheaded by Joyce Sessi Strong. Joy is pictured in the front row, far left and next are Barb Tkicsuk, Janet McConaghey, Andy Dobelstein, Carol Durbin, Jackie Murphy, Marlene Bartko, Valera Sayre, Marilyn Schweitzer, Ethel Fest, Margaret Stewart, Georgia Webb, Pat Colligan, Andy Spisak, Warren Dryer and Shirley Hartay. Top Row left to right is Don Huston, Vince Lupinacci, Joe Angelo, Al Hawthorne, George Langoi, John Komienic, Cliff Horn, Ed Ricci, Jack Wagner, Alan Kurtz, Barb Lightner, Jim Zill and Glenn Henricksen. Separate class reunions after the fiftieth are rare and Joy is to be commended. Hey, maybe some can make the Mini next January in Sarasota, Florida.