Brooksville Council Reappoints Mayor Tanner, Votes to End Fire Pension

Brooksville City Council moved swiftly at its Dec. 1 meeting, reappointing Christa Tanner as mayor for 2026 and retaining Thomas Bronson as vice mayor in unanimous votes. The short session focused heavily on the financial ramifications of the citys recent consolidation of its fire department with Hernando County, which took effect Oct. 1.

Council members voted unanimously to terminate the City of Brooksville Firefighters Retirement Trust Fund, an action tied directly to the service consolidation. Officials presented two options for the pension plan. One option would keep the plan closed and frozen, preserving accrued benefits but leaving ongoing payroll contributions on the books. The alternative would terminate the plan now and make a lump sum payout to fund members annuities, a move estimated to have a roughly 3.7 million dollar impact to the current budget if annuities are purchased for plan members.

City Manager Lisa Hendrickson outlined potential funding sources for a payout, including reserve funds, money from the fire budget, and proceeds from auction or sale of city fire assets. Councilmembers debated the fiscal tradeoffs, weighing the immediate budget hit against the prospect of saddling future councils with long term obligations. Some argued that termination would prevent long term costs from passing to future elected bodies, while others raised concerns about the near term strain on city finances.

For Hernando County residents and Brooksville taxpayers, the council decisions carry practical implications. If the city opts for a lump sum payout, reserve funds or fire budget allocations may be redirected, potentially affecting other projects or services. If the plan remains closed but funded through payroll contributions, future budgets will need to accommodate ongoing liabilities. The sale of former city fire assets could provide one time revenue, but would not eliminate recurring obligations if the plan remains frozen.

As the city begins implementation, officials will need to finalize funding choices and account for the pension action in next year s budget. The decisions made in early December will shape Brooksvilles fiscal landscape and influence how retired firefighters benefits are secured in the wake of the county consolidation.