A full meeting of the Vance County Commissioners occurred today, Wednesday afternoon, for about two hours. It was a work session for commissioners to hash out differences, ask questions and obtain data from county staff. Everything done up to and including this latest meeting has constructed the framework for meaningful discussion to continue regarding fire services in Vance County.
It is unclear if enough commissioners are decided on how to proceed with the fire commission study information and the accompanying recommendations already brought before the full board at January’s regular board meeting a couple of weeks ago.
To be more specific, it is unclear if each commissioner has decided his or her position on making the Vance County Fire Department a volunteer department, in that it would be a combination paid/volunteer department if the original fire commission and public safety committee recommendation was followed to a T. It is also not entirely clear how commissioners would vote on placing two paid part-time fire fighters at each volunteer company five days per week for 11 or 12 hours per day, mostly being what you would call the daylight hours.
When asked by Commissioners Board Chairman Archie Taylor, Commissioners Leo Kelly and Tommy Hester indicated they were satisfied, that they knew how they would vote to proceed. Commissioners Dan Brummitt and Yolanda Feimster indicated a need for more information. Brummitt has been a driving force behind the previously stated fire commission data and public safety committee recommendation because he indicates the plans provide more equal protection for all in Vance County with funds being distributed more equally. Carolyn Faines, who serves as the Chair of the Fire Commission as well as on the Public Safety Committee with Gordon Wilder and Brummitt, did not really say one way or the other but spoke a couple of times about tweaking things so they are in the best interest of all Vance County citizens.
The stated goal of the day by Wilder, who chairs the public safety committee, was to find solutions.
The main take away from the meeting, it seems, is that a fire reorganization or county manager’s report by Jordan McMillan or similar open-ended wording would likely appear on the February 4, 2019 regular board meeting agenda, thus allowing the conversation to continue along with any motions and votes that may take place.
A range of opinions seems to exist from waiting until the 2019-2020 budget starts, to taking action to enact some portions of the recommendation as soon as possible, to a phasing-things-in approach so actual actions take place but do not go too far too fast.
Specific motions could come at the next meeting too, such as funding two paid part timers in each volunteer company, with equal funding assured to departments like Epsom and Drewry which also get funding from and serve portions of Franklin and Warren Counties respectively.
Chairman Taylor made his views known at the top of the meeting. He said he can support two part timers at each volunteer company. He said citizens are due the best fire department protection, and he could not support the Vance County Fire Department being volunteer. He said fire departments really need to be 24 hours per day.
A main point made by Brummitt was that fire protection and first responder calls is a team sport and that the fire commission findings and public safety committee recommendations to date equalize things so all in the county are served and that it takes all, the Vance County Fire Department and the volunteers and EMS and first responders, to get the job done.
A main point made by Commissioner Hester was that if the Vance County Fire Department was not left intact it would hurt the chances of being able to find employee fire fighters in Vance County, it would hurt economic development, and if the Vance County Fire Department was dismantled that we would never be able to put Humpty Dumpty Back Together Again. He urged not moving too quickly.
Commissioner Wilder seemed to lean, although he said after the meeting to WIZS News he wanted to work on it more, towards his motion made at the regular January meeting of leaving the Vance County Fire Department alone for now and funding the two paid firefighters in each department. The motion died in that regular meeting for lack of a second.
A fire tax increase of 1.6 to 2.2 cents could be on the horizon too, if the County funds the additional workers, if the County could then fill all the available spots, which is a problem in and of itself, and depends on what is decided ultimately in regards to the Vance County Fire Department and the equipment therein.
In all honesty, it is all terribly confusing and cries out for someone to make a chart or map to visualize it all. It is all really almost too much to hold in your head as a means of trying to set policy. There are many good arguments for a variety of existing and proposed measures as well as possible future plans to reexamine fire district lines.
It is worth noting a couple of other things too. It is perhaps clearer from the outside looking in that some clear options exist and some clear majorities exist on the board, and a majority vote is what is required.
Also, no one is putting down anyone who is a fire fighter, paid or volunteer, or first responder, EMS, Rescue Squad or anyone for the hard work done. In fact, just the opposite. Each of these hardworking individuals is really being praised.
Lastly, the Vance County Fire Commission of Carolyn Faines, Doyle Carpunky, Daren Small and Fire Marshall Keith Duncan has done its job and done it well, and so has the public safety committee of Wilder, Faines and Brummitt. Nothing has been done yet, and all are still discussing it and gathering information. That’s what they are suppose to do. The commission, the committee and the commissioners have laid a framework by which the County can proceed with its business.