Calhoun County Council considers fire changes

Calhoun County Council recently gave first reading to an ordinance that would bring the county’s fire services under the county’s jurisdiction with advisory boards created from the county’s two districts.

The ordinance would create a Fire Advisory Board for the Sandy Run Fire District and the Calhoun County Rural Fire District.

The ordinance also creates the position of a fire services coordinator, which would be an employee of the county who serves as a liaison between the fire boards and the county and present the needs of the fire stations to the county administration as other department heads do.

Under the ordinance, the fire services coordinator would be responsible for centralized purchasing of all materials, supplies and equipment for the fire districts in accordance with the county’s procurement codes.

The fire services coordinator would also be responsible for a districtwide standardization of all rolling stock and equipment and a uniform maintenance schedule.

The fire services coordinator, with the assistance of the fire district boards, would also submit a recommended budget to council.

“We are finding in Calhoun County, like a lot of rural counties, that with emergency services of all kinds, the day-to-day operation requests and the needs are growing while the volunteer spirit is diminishing due to jobs and family obligations,” Calhoun County Administrator John McLauchlin said during a recent meeting of council.

The change is designed to enable the county and departments to handle demand and growth.

He noted the existing board members, operations and volunteers will remain in place.

“Council and administration feel that by making both districts a department of the county, all eight stations will have more uniformity and ultimately be on the same page,” McLauchlin said.

County administration said the change would enable the county’s existing financing and procurement departments to better track the funds and expenditures of departments, plus standardize equipment and gear, with hopes of reducing costs and increasing opportunities for grants for equipment, gear and trucks.

“This plan will allow a more equitable distribution of needs throughout the county,” McLauchlin said.

It would change the district’s funding from a flat fire service fee to millage.

Under the ordinance, the current fire district boards would be responsible for:

• Assisting in the development of standard operating procedures/guidelines, training standards, fire inspection programs and fire prevention programs.

• Assisting in the assessment of buildings, equipment and manpower and developing a strategic plan to deliver fire and rescue services in the fire district.

• Advising on all operational aspects between Calhoun County and the fire departments within the fire district.

The change includes the dissolution of the county Fire Commission, which was replaced by the Calhoun County Rural Fire District in 2014. At that time, an ordinance to repeal the commission was never passed as it ought to have been.

Sandy Run Fire District Assistant Fire Chief Christian Wolfe requested council postpone the vote until the Sandy Run Fire Commission could receive more information the impact and intent of the ordinance.

“Nobody has come to Sandy Run to talk about it,” Wolfe said. “Our fire commission has not been made aware of this.”

Wolfe noted McLauchlin and County Deputy Administrator Richard Hall were planning to come to a commission meeting following the council meeting.

In light of this fact, he requested council postpone the vote until after the Fire Commission met and received more information.

“The Calhoun County Rural Fire District, they have had the privilege of knowing what is going to be talked about here tonight,” Wolfe said. “Our district has not. I don’t think that is fair. I don’t think that is good business, personally.”

The matter had previously been tabled for first reading at the Dec. 12 meeting due to similar concerns.

Despite the request to table the vote, council voted 4-1 to give it first reading.

Councilwoman Rebecca Bonnette voted against it.

Councilman Cecil Thornton voted in support of the ordinance, but noted it was just first reading.

“We will get questions answered that you want answered and we will move forward if the vote so carries,” Thornton said.

Council Chairman James Haigler noted council is not trying to hurt anyone or ram anything down anyone’s throat.

“Just because we have passed first reading, that does not mean the thing will pass,” Haigler said. “It just gives us an opportunity to get it on the books so we can discuss it. The more we prolong it and don’t get it on the books, the more we don’t know what is going on.”

Haigler said the reading process enables council to hear from the public about their concerns and provides more transparency to the process.