Two seats on the Board of Commissioners of the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District will be decided on November 5 by the residents who live in the District. The Seat 2 candidates are Stanley A. Bunner, Jr., incumbent Al Duffy, and Wayne J. Martin. The Seat 5 candidates are incumbent Dominick Biondo and Russell Tuff.
The elections are nonpartisan; candidates run without declaring a party affiliation and serve staggered four-year terms.
The Greater Naples Fire Rescue District (District) was formed by the 2015 merger of the former East Naples and Golden Gate fire districts. Residents in the former East Naples District will vote for one of the Seat 2 candidates; those in the former Golden Gate Fire District will vote for one of the Seat 5 candidates.
You can find your fire district on your tax bill or by using the online map here. Check the Fire Districts box on the left side of the page that opens to see the fire district boundary overlay.
In this post, I begin with the important issues in the Collier County Fire Commissioner elections. Then, I provide overviews of the candidates’ backgrounds and platforms, links to their online presence, and news articles and other resources found through a Google search. I close with a comparison of the candidates’ campaign contributions and spending.
The Issues
The two primary issues in these fire commissioner elections are fire district consolidation and fiscal responsibility.
District Consolidation
Collier County fire service is provided in a fragmented way that has slowly begun to consolidate. Learn more in my primer on Fire and Emergency Medical Services in Collier County.
By late 2016, the merger of the East Naples and Golden Gate districts into the Greater Naples district had recently been completed; Greater Naples had also annexed the Isles of Capri fire district and was about to take responsibility for service to Everglades City, Alligator Alley, and the vast, sparsely-populated area east of State Road 29.
The issue in the three District commissioner seats on the ballot that year was how well consolidation had gone so far and how fast the remaining districts should be consolidated.
“Some point out the risks of moving too quickly, wanting to ensure promised savings and benefits are being realized before consolidating further,” I wrote at the time. “Others suggest the firefighters, with their multiple layers of chiefs and union interests, are dragging their feet to hold on to jobs that may be eliminated as a result of consolidation.”
Eight years later, no further consolidation has taken place, and consolidation is a significant issue for voters to consider today.
Fiscal Responsibility
As the county has grown, its infrastructure has aged, and fire fighting equipment, methods, and technology have improved, the cost of providing fire service has increased significantly.
The 2014-15 General Fund budgets of the former East Naples and Golden Gate fire districts together totaled $28.1 million ($16.6 million and $11.5 million, respectively). The 2023-24 General Fund budget for the merged District is $49.2 million, an increase of 75 percent over the nine-year period. (greaternaplesfire.org)
While the comparison may or may not be valid, the budget for Collier County’s General Fund increased over the same period by 101 percent, i.e., the budget doubled. (colliercountyfl.gov)
At the same time, $1 in 2015 is equivalent to the purchasing power of about $1.33 today, a cumulative price increase of 33 percent. (CPI Inflation Calculator)
Some candidates mention fiscal responsibility and support further consolidation as a way to reduce the burden on taxpayers and provide service more cost-effectively. Some disagree with the District’s decision to ask for a 0.5 mill tax increase in August, calling it unnecessary. The incumbents voted for the increase. (The referendum was approved by District residents, with 56.2 percent of the vote.)
Stanley A. Bunner, Jr. (Seat 2)
Stanley A. Bunner, Jr., 60, has practiced law in Naples since 200. Since 2018, he has practiced as a solo practitioner conducting all phases of civil litigation with a focus on commercial, construction, and probate matters. The 24-year Collier County resident has a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Potsdam and a Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School in Boston.
In addition to practicing law, Bunner is co-founder and corporate secretary for Project DYNAMO, a veteran-led, donor-funded international search, rescue, aid, and assistance 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. According to its website, Bunner “plays an integral role in managing its life-saving rescue operations—often on the ground alongside volunteers.”
Prior to the law, Bunner had an extensive first career in the military, with service in both the Army and the Navy, in both active and inactive duty. See the resume attached to his Sparker’s Soapbox questionnaire.
Bunner ran unsuccessfully for a commissioner seat representing the East Naples Division in 2014.
Questionnaire Responses
Read Bunner’s responses to my Sparker’s Soapbox Candidate Questionnaire. Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity are:
Why are you running for this position?
I intend to retire from the Navy in January 2025 and want to continue serving the community. As a member of the military, I have a natural affinity for all first responders.
What are three things you want to accomplish if you are elected?
- Further consolidate all fire and medical rescue into a single countywide independent district
- while decreasing response times
- using new procedures planned and implemented to “do more with less.”
Name one past policy decision of the board you are running for that you disagree with and that you would like to change if elected. Why?
The current procedures, ratified and facilitated by the board, continue a historical pattern of deploying expensive equipment on every call where there does not appear to be a logical basis to do so. I want to bring an outsider’s eye to issues like that to see if the same quality service can be provided at a lower cost.
What is the most important thing voters should know about the issues at stake in this election before making their decision about who to vote for?
I was a firm believer in the consolidation efforts when I ran in 2014 and continue to support further consolidation today. A single county-wide fire and EMS district will provide the services the community needs at a lower price.
Also, read Bunner’s responses to the Coastal Breeze News questionnaire. Of note:
Looking ahead, how do you see the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District adapting to meet the needs of the East Naples community?:
I believe the future should involve further consolidation of fire and EMS personnel, training, and agencies to decrease response times and improve service at a lower cost. The 2016 study indicated that only 1% of fire agency responses involved fires, while 84% were medical. Our equipment acquisition and utilization should reflect this reality. I am running to bring strategic-level planning from outside firefighting and EMS to avoid the “this is the way we have always done it” mindset.
Websites, Social Media, and Other Resources
- Website – Law Office of Stanley A. Bunner, JR., PLLC.
- Website – Goede DeBoest Cross Law Firm
- Florida Bar Member listing
- Project DYNAMO listing
- 2014 Candidate Statement
In the News
- Meet the Candidates for Seat Two of the Greater Naples Fire District, Coastal Breeze News, 10/3/24
Endorsements
None found.
Al Duffy (Seat 2)
Incumbent Al Duffy, 62, is seeking reelection to a second term on the District Board. He has an associate’s degree in fire science technology from Edison College.
Duffy, a career Collier County firefighter and supervisor, began his fire service in 1981 as a volunteer firefighter on Long Island, NY. He moved to Collier County in 1985 and served first with the City of Naples and then for 30 years with the North Naples Fire & Rescue District as a firefighter/EMT. He retired in 2019 as battalion chief.
Platform
On his website, Duffy highlights his:
- experience as a firefighter and knowledge of service,
- financial responsibility,
- leadership and management, and
- commitment to public safety.
Questionnaire Responses
Read Duffy’s responses to my Sparker’s Soapbox Candidate Questionnaire. Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity are:
Why are you running for this position?
- To make sure the residents of the District continue to receive the best service and protection,
- To make sure our employees are taken care of so they can continue serving the residents in a highly professional manner and
- To continue moving the fire district in a positive direction, which I feel I have done during my term as fire commissioner.
Do you support or oppose the proposal to increase the authorized millage rate from 1.5 mills up to 2.0 mills for an 8-year period, with such revenues held in a capital improvement account? Why or why not?
I support the proposed millage rate increase. It is desperately needed so we can keep pace with the district’s rapid growth and maintain our capital infrastructure, including rebuilding some of the firehouses for compliance with today’s safety requirements, along with being able to withstand a hurricane and also build future firehouses and facilities.
Do you support further consolidation of Collier County’s fire districts? If so, why, when, and how? If not, why not?
Yes. But first, the three remaining districts should hire a consulting firm to conduct a feasibility study and determine what revenue, services, personnel, stations, resources, and equipment will be needed to sustain a fire district of that size. It will most likely not be able to function at the current millage rate. I also feel the district should be independent of the county, with its own board of fire commissioners and revenue source.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you and/or the issues at stake in this election before making their decision about who to vote for?
The voters of the District will continue getting a dependable person with a strong background in public safety who commits that they will continue to receive the best service within the District and who will move the District forward in a positive direction so that we may keep up with the growth.
Also, read Duffy’s responses to the Coastal Breeze News questionnaire. Of note:
Looking ahead, how do you see the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District adapting to meet the needs of the East Naples community?:
With voter approval of the millage increase, the district will be able to adapt to the needs of the East Naples community, which will continue to grow. This funding will allow us to construct the facilities needed to serve residents better.
Websites, Social Media, and Other Resources
- Website
- Video: Meet Your Commissioner, Al Duffy
- On the Ballot: Greater Naples Fire — East Naples Division, Sparker’s Soapbox, 10/7/20
- 2020 Statement to Sparker’s Soapbox
- vote411 Candidate Questionnaire
In the News
- Battle over Greater Naples Fire Department could leave some without coverage, WINK News, 3/14/23 (Commission Chairman Duffy says it’s time to let the county run the fire station in Everglades City or give Greater Naples more money to do it.)
- Firefighters battle rough terrain, thick vegetation to put out brush fire, WINK News, 5/28/19 (Quotes Duffy, then a North Collier Fire battalion chief, about fighting a brush fire near Logan Boulevard.)
- Editorial: Page, McMahon round out Greater Naples fire, Naples Daily News, 10/19/16 (Naples Daily News endorsed Duffy’s opponent, Jeff Page, in the 2016 fire commissioner election.)
Endorsements
Wayne J. Martin (Seat 2)
Wayne Martin, 71, has been a Collier County resident for almost 30 years. He has an associate’s degree in fire science, a B.A. in public administration, and a master’s degree in executive fire service leadership.
His more than 40-year career in fire service included over 15 years as fire chief and emergency management director.
In 2015, as director and planning officer for the Greater Naples District and former operations manager for the Isles of Capri Fire Department, Martin was instrumental in transitioning the management of that fire department to the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District. He also participated in the management-merger agreement that brought Ochopee and Everglades City into the District.
In 2022, Martin was elected to the board of the Hacienda Lakes Community Development District, receiving 72.5% of the votes. He resigned from that position effective Nov. 5, 2024, as required by law, to run for the current office.
Other community involvement has included East Naples Civic and Commerce Association (member), Country Club of Lely Homeowners Association (president), Florida Park Service (volunteer), Naples Children’s Education Foundation (volunteer), and Florida Fire and Emergency Services Foundation (founding trustee and treasurer).
Platform
Martin’s website says he “stands for honesty, integrity, and fiscal responsibility.” He says the firefighters, officers, mechanics, inspectors, technicians, and civilian staff are the District’s greatest asset and must be compensated “so they can afford to live, play, and work in the district.”
He would like to see the consolidation of the fire districts by the end of his four-year term as a fire commissioner.
Questionnaire Responses
Read Martin’s responses to my Sparker’s Soapbox Candidate Questionnaire. Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity are:
Why are you running for this position?
At this point in life, I am in contribution mode. For the fiscal year beginning 10/1/24, the District has a $75 million budget and 260 full-time employees. “I am running based on the fact that it is all about fiscal responsibility and accountability.”
Do you support or oppose the proposal to increase the authorized millage rate from 1.5 mills up to 2.0 mills for an 8-year period, with such revenues held in a capital improvement account? Why or why not?
I am opposed. This is a 33% increase in property owners’ taxes, and in these hard times, no one should be expected to pay more taxes. Moving all capital purchases to a capital account for eight years and then returning it to the operating account eight years from now is not sustainable. With the exception of rebuilding a few fire stations, all vehicles, fire trucks, radios, furniture, and self-contained breathing apparatus have been purchased in the District’s current operating account. The District will have to get creative with grants, etc., to rebuild /relocate fire stations.
Do you support further consolidation of Collier County’s fire districts? If so, why, when, and how? If not, why not?
I support further consolidation of the Collier County fire districts and believe it can accomplished in the next four years. It will not be popular with some, but it is time for one fire agency in unincorporated Collier County. It must be funded the same way we fund the Sheriff’s Office. The cost is spread county-wide and has produced the safest county in the country.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you and/or the issues at stake in this election before making their decision about who to vote for?
I am the candidate who will ask the hard questions and do the right thing. The taxpayer is electing someone to be a steward of a $75 million budget. I will be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars and bring honesty, integrity, and fiscal responsibility to the table.
Also, read Martin’s responses to the Coastal Breeze News questionnaire. Of note:
Looking ahead, how do you see the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District adapting to meet the needs of the East Naples community?
To address the long-term needs of East Naples and Collier County, it’s time to consider merging or consolidating the three remaining fire districts—Greater Naples, North Collier, and Immokalee—into one agency. This would provide a fixed tax rate county-wide and create economies of scale.
Websites, Social Media, and Other Resources
- Website
- Candidate’s Statement – current election
- Candidate’s Statement – Hacienda Lakes CDD 2022
- Resume
- vote411 Candidate Questionnaire
In the News
- Meet the Candidates for Seat Two of the Greater Naples Fire District, Coastal Breeze News, 10/3/24
- Greater Naples takes over Capri fire-rescue management Oct. 1, Marco Eagle, 9/12/15 (Martin, then director and planning officer for the Greater Naples district and former Capri operations manager, facilitated the transition.)
Endorsements
None found.
Seat 2 Campaign Finance
Here is a summary of the Seat 2 candidates’ filings to date:
Of note:
- Bunner had one contribution of the maximum allowable $1,000. It was from the Naples law firm Goede DeBoest & Cross.
- Duffy has not filed any campaign treasurer reports.
- Martin had one $1,000 contribution. It was from Loren Strand, retired.
Dominick P. Biondo (Seat 5)
Dominick P. “Nick” Biondo, 58, has been a Collier County resident for over 30 years and has an associate’s degree in fire science. He served the District for 27 years as a deputy chief and fire marshal specializing in fire and life safety until his retirement in 2015.
During his tenure as deputy chief, Biondo served as a union president and president of the Collier County Fire Marshals Association. He was also a long-time member and supporter of the Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association.
After his retirement, Biondo established Fire Consulting Solutions Inc., through which he helps clients “navigate the intricate landscape of life-safety codes, ensuring the safety and security of our communities.”
Platform
On his website, Biondo highlights his 27 years of fire service, deep understanding of codes and regulations, and passion for community safety.
Questionnaire Responses
Biondo did not respond to this year’s Sparker’s Soapbox Candidate Questionnaire, but you can read his responses to the 2020 Sparker’s Soapbox Candidate Questionnaire. Excerpts edited for clarity are:
Why are you running for this position?”
Changes need to be made in all areas of the District.
What are three things you want to accomplish if elected?
- Sign a contract with a labor union.
- Provide better service to the community.
- Repair morale across the department.
Name one past policy decision of the board that you disagree with that you would change if elected.
There are too many to list just one.
Websites, Social Media, and Other Resources
- Website
- Video: Dominick Biondo for Fire Commissioner
- LinkedIn – Fire Consulting Solutions
- LinkedIn – personal
- Fire Consulting Solutions, Inc.
In the News
- Incumbents face off with union-backed candidates in Greater Naples Fire Commission elections, Naples Daily News, 10/12/20 (Biondo, who retired as deputy chief in 2015, said he would focus on getting a new union contract for the district and questioned outsourcing of certain fire station services.)
Endorsements
Russell Tuff (Seat 5)
Russell Tuff, 65, has been a Collier County resident since 1989. He has bachelor’s degrees in business administration and history/political science and an EFM (Education for Ministry) degree from the School of Theology, Sewanee, TN.
Tuff is the managing partner at Social-Impact, a public relations and internet marketing firm he launched in 2011. Before going out on his own, he had a career in publishing, including almost six years as Executive Editor of EW Scripps.
His extensive community leadership roles include having served as president of the Collier County Republican Men’s Club, Gulf Coast Chapter of Public Relations Society of America, Golden Gate Area Civic Association, Golden Gate Chamber of Commerce, and Golden Gate Visitor Center. He is also the current chairman of the Collier County Citizens Values Political Action Committee and a past chairman of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee.
In 2016, he ran unsuccessfully for Collier County Commissioner District 3.
Platform
According to his website, Tuff’s priority as a fire commissioner would be public safety.
He notes several areas for improvement:
- support our personnel,
- optimize response protocols,
- prioritize emergency vehicle use,
- collaborate with other agencies and
- consolidate emergency services.
Questionnaire Responses
Read Tuff’s responses to my Sparker’s Soapbox Candidate Questionnaire. Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity are:
Why are you running for this position?
- We need to rethink how we do emergency service. 85% of fire department calls are for medical purposes, yet we send two large, expensive vehicles to each call. We don’t need to send a three-person team to a senior living community to pick up a resident who has fallen.
- We have done a very poor job of planning to repair/replace capital equipment (aging vehicles and structures).
- If a company/business/government entity can’t make ends meet with back-to-back revenue increases of 19% and 16%, then some changes need to be made.
Do you support or oppose the proposal to increase the authorized millage rate from 1.5 mills up to 2.0 mills for an 8-year period, with such revenues held in a capital improvement account? Why or why not?
I oppose the millage increase. We are operating the Greater Naples Fire districts with systems that were put in place 10 to 20 years ago. The old way won’t work for the future of emergency services in Collier County.
Do you support further consolidation of Collier County’s fire districts? If so, why, when, and how? If not, why not?
The first fix is to merge the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with fire and take steps to merge the independent districts eventually. One doesn’t require legislative action and a vote from the separate districts. The other does and will take more political maneuvering to accomplish.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you and/or the issues at stake in this election before making their decision about who to vote for?
I would not have put the tax increase on the ballot. Do taxpayers want to continue to fund a disjointed emergency service system in Collier County or adapt to better and more efficient methods of providing top-level service cost-effectively? I’ve been working on consolidating services for 15 years. Progress has been slow, but the end is in sight.
Websites, Social Media, and Other Resources
In the News
- We need to change the way we do emergency service in Collier County, votetuff.com/news, 7/28/24
- Collier officials to present plans to spur Golden Gate redevelopment, Naples Daily News, 4/4/19 (Speaking only for himself and not the civic association board, Tuff said he worried about removing restrictions on uses.)
- Russell Tuff cuts off Byron Donalds with Collier GOP win, Florida Politics, 12/4/2018 (Tuff defeats state Rep Donalds for CCREC chair.)
- Russell Tuff mounting local case for Collier County GOP Chair, Florida Politics, 11/30/18 (Tuff challenges State Rep. Byron Donalds for Collier County Republican Executive Committee chairman.)
- Editorial: Tuff Is neighborhood guy best for commission, Naples Daily News Editorial Board, 8/20/16 (Russell Tuff earns our endorsement for the Republican nomination among three exceptional GOP candidates in Collier County Commission District 3.)
Endorsements
Note noted.
Seat 5 Campaign Finance
Here is a summary of the Seat 5 candidates’ filings to date:
Of note:
- Biondo Duffy has not filed any campaign treasurer reports.
- Tuff received a $1,000 in-kind contribution from Life in Naples magazine (advertisement).
Next Steps
It’s time to review the available information and decide which candidate to vote for. I hope this research has been helpful. Thanks for wanting to be a more informed voter!