County of Volusia v. CITY OF DAYTONA

420 So. 2d 606
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedOctober 6, 1982
Docket81-1219
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 420 So. 2d 606 (County of Volusia v. CITY OF DAYTONA) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
County of Volusia v. CITY OF DAYTONA, 420 So. 2d 606 (Fla. Ct. App. 1982).

Opinion

420 So.2d 606 (1982)

COUNTY OF VOLUSIA, etc., Appellant,
v.
CITY OF DAYTONA BEACH, etc., Appellee.

No. 81-1219.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.

August 18, 1982.
As Clarified on Denial of Rehearing October 6, 1982.

*607 Daniel R. Vaughen, Asst. County Atty., DeLand, for appellant.

Frank B. Gummey, III, Robert G. Brown, Reginald E. Moore and Nancye R. Crouch, Daytona Beach, for appellee.

PER CURIAM.

This appeal challenges an order of the Circuit Court of Volusia County quashing a decision by the Volusia County Council, the governing body of the County (hereinafter referred to as the County), which denied an application by the City of Daytona Beach (hereinafter the City) for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to operate an emergency medical transportation service within its municipal limits. The County's action was taken pursuant to section 401.25, Florida Statutes (1979), which the circuit court declared unconstitutional insofar as it applied to the facts presented in this case.

The controversy ensued when the City applied to the County by letter dated September 19, 1980, for the certificate. The County and the City then organized a task force to study the emergency medical transportation system in Volusia County and to make a recommendation in regard to the City's proposal. After receiving a second application from the City dated December 16, 1980, the County held a hearing on January 15, 1981, and heard unsworn presentations from the City, the Emergency Medical Services Council (a county advisory committee), the county's emergency medical services medical director, the then current emergency medical services provider, and the county's emergency medical services administrator. At the conclusion of the hearing, the County denied the City's application without prejudice.

On February 10, 1981, the City filed a petition and complaint in the circuit court against the County and its current emergency medical services provider in four counts: certiorari, injunction against alleged violations of the Florida Anti-Trust Law, damages against the medical services provider for anti-trust violations, and declaratory judgment against both the county and the medical services provider to establish the City's right to operate an emergency medical services transportation system. The petition for certiorari sought review of the denial by the County of the City's application for the certificate. The County, in its response, alleged that its denial was a legislative decision and was not properly reviewable by a petition for certiorari. In an order dated April 30, 1981, the circuit judge considered only the petition for certiorari. The court stated in its order at that time:

*608 At the time of the hearing, the County Council was considering alternative methods of providing county-wide emergency medical transportation services. Several of the alternatives depended upon revenue from operation within the City of Daytona Beach to defray or at least supplement the cost of operating the county-wide service. Simply stated, the council was aware that the granting of the City's application could result in increased costs to the County. It is the Court's opinion that deliberation on the City's application, which included consideration of what was in the best financial interest of the County, would be improper in that it would deny the City a fair and impartial hearing consistent with due process of law.
Based upon the foregoing, the Court refers and remands this cause back to the County Council for further consideration consistent with the opinions expressed herein. The council in its deliberations shall not admit nor consider any evidence bearing upon the financial advantage or disadvantage to the county resulting from the grant or denial of the City's application. The council may consider all evidence relating to the quality of care and level of service resulting from the grant or denial of the City's application. This may include the report and recommendations of the joint task force. Further, after due deliberation the council shall enter a final order upon the City's application either denying same with prejudice or granting same. The council shall render its decision in this matter on or before June 15, 1981.

Following the court's order, the County held another meeting on May 21, 1981, for the purpose of considering county-wide emergency medical services. It concluded that the services should be provided on a county-wide basis. A second meeting was held by the County on May 26, 1981, at which time a hearing was conducted on the City's application as required by the April 30, 1981, order of the circuit court. The County heard sworn testimony and counsels' argument, made findings of fact and conclusions of law, and rendered a final order denying the City's application with prejudice.

The City then sought circuit court review of the County's May 26th decision by way of a petition for certiorari. On August 25, 1981, the circuit court entered a final judgment quashing the decision of the County for failing to provide the City a quasi-judicial hearing before an impartial tribunal on its application, declaring section 401.25, Florida Statutes (1979), to be unconstitutional as applied to these facts, and inviting the City to reapply for its certificate to the circuit court. The order further provided that "if there are any doubts about the neutrality of the circuit courts of Volusia County, then the City should seek to have the matter resolved in the courts of a sister county." It is this judgment which we entertain on this appeal.

The appellant challenges the circuit court's finding that the City's application for a certificate required an impartial (i.e., quasi-judicial) hearing on the basis of a competitive conflict between the County and the City. The circuit court stated that the County in the instant case was sitting as a quasi-judicial body faced with deciding a dispute wherein it was, itself, an interested party. The view of the circuit court was stated in its judgment:

The key issue concerns the fact that the city, which is in competition with, and which directly opposes the county in the provision of emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services, is required to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the county commission. The court is particularly concerned about the partiality or impartiality of two parties facing each other in an adversary hearing where one of the adverse parties is ultimately responsible for deciding the issues between them. (Emphasis added.)

In arriving at its conclusion, the circuit court relied on three cases: Chief Judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit v. Board of County Commissioners of Bradford County, 401 So.2d 1330 (Fla. 1981); State ex rel. *609 Davis v. Parks, 141 Fla. 516, 194 So. 613 (Fla. 1939); Dickenson v. Parks, 104 Fla. 577, 140 So. 459 (Fla. 1932). Davis and Dickenson involved the necessity of disqualifying an individual judge from presiding over a trial on grounds of prejudice.[1] The Chief Judge case involved a dispute between the chief judge of the circuit wherein Bradford County is located and its county commission concerning allocation of space in the county courthouse. Each of these cases arose in the context of judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings wherein adversarial parties or interests were in conflict.

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Bluebook (online)
420 So. 2d 606, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/county-of-volusia-v-city-of-daytona-fladistctapp-1982.