Sarasota Airport Hires Private Firefighting Company

The Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority on Tuesday hired a private firefighting company over the pleading and protests of union members who will lose their jobs and benefits.

The authority approved a three-year contract with Rural/Metro on a 4-to-1 vote at a special meeting. Chairman Paul Sharff was opposed. Member Kathy Baylis was absent.

The vote came after testimony from several firefighters who have worked at the airport for 20 years or more. The men can apply for jobs with Rural/Metro, but they won't likely achieve the level of pay or benefits they had under their old contract.

The majority of the airport board backed Chief Executive Officer Fred Piccolo, who pointed out that Rural/Metro of Scottsdale, Ariz., would hire 15 firefighters, plus a chief, and save the airport about $327,000 per year.

But the emergency personnel from three counties who packed the room applauded the 22-year-old daughter of firefighter Bill Behrens.

Tiffany Behrens said the board's decision would affect the livelihoods of her mother and four sisters.

"There's nothing we can do about it except to talk. That's why we're here -- to say please," Behrens said. "My dad has worked here for as long as we can remember. What are we gonna do?"

Testimony from firefighters and union officials unveiled tension between them and Piccolo.

The firefighters' contract expired in the spring of 2005. Negotiations stopped for a time because the firefighters wanted the airport to talk to Sarasota County about a merger.

Piccolo told the board in February that the county wasn't interested. The board OK'd seeking other proposals, a process that would open the door to local governments as well as companies like Rural/Metro.

Blair Cook, who has been leading negotiations, gave the board a stack of e-mails that he said showed it was difficult to schedule meetings with airport management once negotiation resumed this spring.

Piccolo lashed out at the implication that he worked in bad faith.

"I think they need to look at themselves, because this whole process has been very open," Piccolo said. "Not once did they say, 'Don't go down this road.' Everyone was encouraging the road because they thought they would end up in Sarasota County."

Firefighters talked about their loyalty, giving the example of working security detail after Sept. 11, 2001. Piccolo pointed out that they agreed to do so only after threatening to complain about unfair labor practice.

Rural/Metro executives from Memphis gave a presentation, but Piccolo answered most of the board's few questions about the service.

Rural/Metro's contract starts Oct. 1. The management fee in the first year is $121,196 but increases by the third year to $132,349.

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