A highly debated topic came to a halt, on May 10, as the budget committee, for the third meeting in a row, investigated the possibility of funding a county-wide fire department.
“The discussion over the general fund is what’s holding this budget up, and it’s largely due to the financial impact of a county-wide fire department that Commissioner [Stanley] Neal presented to the committee,” county commissioner and budget committee secretary Cain Rogers said. “And it’s not just the amount; it’s unclear as to how effective it would actually be. I want us to assist our volunteer fire departments, but I also want to be efficient with taxpayer money. I think if we scale it back to more of a support role and combined with the EMA position, we can get to a cost-effective solution. I am hopeful this move, combined with other budget tightening measures, will allow us to pass the budget by June to coincide with our fiscal year end.”
With several county commissioners, other than just those who serve on the budget committee, along with several volunteer fire chiefs and members of the public in attendance, there were questions for more details and further clarification as to the purpose of a program that was being listed on a sample budget as a $425,917 line item, contributing to a large portion of the overall $619,499 deficit that would result if that particular budget is passed.
When questions began to be addressed to the committee, Neal, the county commission chairperson and a member of the budget committee, explained that discussions began in October with a subcommittee and that the proposed budget included funds for four full-time employees, including a paid county fire chief/EMA director, supplies, and equipment.
County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the purpose of having the line item presented on the proposed budget was to see if the funding would be available to sustain such a department.
“If the funding isn’t there, there was no sense in guys wasting their time figuring out how this organization will work - we are still there,” Robinson explained. “It was put in the budget to show what it would look like if it was in there. It put us at a $600,000 deficit, which is definitely not sustainable.”
Roger Mason, a commissioner who also serves on the budget committee, said he had been absent from the previous meeting, on May 3, and asked if any consideration had been given to some type of step down from what was being proposed. Mason said he is aware there are funds and grants the county is not available to take advantage of because White County does not have a centralized fire department.
“As I understand, there are some things we don’t qualify for because it is not a governmental agency,” Mason said. “My question is this: is there a point where we can start, so that we can take advantage of some of the opportunities that might be available but not put us where we are at a $425k cost? I’m not a firefighter, so I don’t know, but I feel if we go all or nothing, we aren’t going to get there. I don’t think any of us are excited to sign on to something that will increase the property tax right or cause us to have a $600,000 deficit in our budget.”
Robinson stated that during discussions surrounding the proposal of a countywide fire department, he often hears that people support the idea, but no one can agree on what the “right way” to institute such a program would be.
“Everyone agrees that something needs to be done, but everyone’s idea of what, is different,” he stated.”
It was expressed repeatedly during the discussion that the underlying problem is there aren’t enough volunteers and membership in fire departments across the county is decreasing.
Dillard Quick, a commissioner who does not serve on the budget committee but was in attendance along with commissioners Lee Broyles and Dakota White, suggested a system that would help the current volunteer firefighters rather than search for new employees. Quick’s suggestion was to implement a point system in which volunteers could earn points for each fire they assisted with and then earn a small amount of money based on those points.
“Why don’t you do like the city and give money to these volunteers,” Quick said. “These are your warriors that come out there and do it. They love doing it. So, why don’t you give them that incentive to come to the fire, and then you wouldn’t have this problem. Spend the money you were going to spend on the fire chief and give it to them.”
“We have more volunteers in the city than we do in the county because of that point system,” Chris Brewington, who is both a volunteer fire chief as well as a city firefighter, said. “There’s no incentive, but if now you’re going to pay me to do it, they are going to be thinking ‘I already love it so yeah of course I’m doing it.’”
“I take the view right now that this would be a liability to the county, not an asset, in the current stage it’s in,” Dakota White, who is not only a commissioner but a firefighter himself, said of the current line item regarding the fire department on the proposed budget and agreed that the effort should be focused toward the volunteers that are already in place. “I understand that [that] person you’re discussing could go to recruitment, I totally understand that, but let’s focus on the things we have right now. Talk about incentives. You would have people come out slowly but surely. I think it would be more beneficial to discuss our current guys and ladies that sacrifice it all to help the county than to look at a department that is a liability number-wise to the county. Personally, being a volunteer firefighter, I think hiring two guys to work 8-5 that’s not going to help anything with the volunteers. Having two paid guys, that’s not going to make people just jump for joy and want to go volunteer any more than they are now. That doesn’t change the equation at all. Just says from 8-5 we have two guys, from 6-8 you’re on your own just like we are now AND your land taxes went up.”
At the mention of land taxes, Robinson became visibly upset and interrupted the discussions.
“Who said anything about land taxes going up? Have we not said numerous times in this, what can we do without raising taxes?” Robinson asked heatedly. “So don’t be throwing that out, because that makes people start getting antsy.”
Robinson then declared a motion to adjourn and abruptly left the room without waiting for a second to his motion or a vote of consent, effectively ending the meeting before he could be reminded that Mason had mentioned it earlier in the meeting.
When asked about their thoughts on the discussion, several commissioners had continued comments.
“I attended tonight hoping to get a few answers as to why and what a $425,000 county fire department will bring to White County. Quite frankly, I left with a lot more questions than answers,” Commissioner Broyles stated. “What disappointed me the most was the fact that there was only one plan presented to the budget committee. Any time the county needs a bid, there is a process. Why was there not a process to bring multiple options to the full commission, especially with such a hefty price tag? As commissioners, we need to be transparent with ourselves and with the community.”
Broyles went on to say that he commended the county commissioners that were in attendance on their willingness to ask the tough questions and desire to get a full picture of what the process was and what it is that the county needs.
“I will say that there is a need for something, but we have some work to do to get there,” Broyles added. “The work needs to be done in public and not behind closed doors.”
Quick agreed with Broyles that there is a need for something, but again said there is more work to be done.
“Raising taxes is not an option, but I’m not opposed to helping the volunteers out,” he said. “We just need to work together and find a scenario that will help.”
Rogers reiterated that the fire department discussion is holding up the passing of the budget and said there is more to be looked at.
“Additionally, I would like for our committee to take a hard look at the General Debt Service Fund,” he said. “Our county is in a strong financial position in regards to debt management, and I believe there might be an opportunity to turn some funds back to the taxpayers.”
Robinson later issued a statement, addressed to all those in attendance as well as anyone following the proceedings as the talks of a county-wide fire department have evolved.
“I as the Chairman failed to keep the topic on subject and for the third week permitted discussion on an issue that was not under the jurisdiction of the Budget Committee,” he said, stating that he had permitted discussion about the specifics of why a department was being considered and the details surrounding that to take place in a meeting that was only supposed to determine if it was feasible to fund such a program. He stated that details of the program should have been discussed in meetings for Steering Committee B.
“I was aggravated with myself for letting the meeting stray and when a comment was made that property taxes were going to be raised, I got visibly upset,” he addressed his abrupt departure from the meeting and apologized for losing his composure and not maintaining an appearance of professionalism and providing leadership. “A tax increase has not been talked about by anyone on the budget committee nor by me, and also, I would veto any resolution raising property taxes.”
Robinson went on to say that a county-wide fire department will not appear on the 2021-2022 fiscal year budget and has been withdrawn from consideration.
“This program is dead and will not be addressed in this budget cycle. As always, any commissioner can start this process over again, if desired,” he said. “Again, I apologize for losing my cool, and I did not mean any disrespect to anyone. I look forward to putting this behind us and working with everyone on the next project.”
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