FUNDING FACE OFF
Bullard council, fire chief at odds over department contract
By Lori Mellinger editor@bullardnews.com

The city council last week tabled an item that could -- if approved -- discontinue local funding for the city's volunteer fire department.

The council and mayor questioned Bullard Volunteer Fire Department Chief Keith Newburn for more than 30 minutes before tabling the item pending further research.

"If the city says we can't afford to contribute anymore, what will you do?" Mayor Pro-Tem Rodger Johnson asked.

"We're still going to be there," Newburn said. But, he added, the department would run on a $1,100 a month shortfall.

The city currently gives that much in funding to the department -- but also at odds is whether it's a contractual agreement or a donation.

"I've got a piece of paper that reads contract on the top," Newburn said, referring to a document signed in 2002 by the council.

But City Manager Larry Morgan disagrees.

"With the funding they now receive from the Emergency Services District, this was simply a contribution to the department that should now -- for taxpayers benefit -- be examined," Morgan said.

Contract or not, the city has been giving the department funding, but Newburn said the council has the right to terminate the contract should they choose to do so.

Johnson said he felt since the department now received funding from the ESD -- approved by voters in November 2006 and being funded since December 2007, Bullard citizens were being penalized.

"Sounds to me like we're triple dipping the people of Bullard," Johnson said.

Johnson was referring to the city's $1,100 a month payment to the department -- which is funded in part by a mandatory $1 surcharge added to residents' water bills -- which makes up about $975 of the total contribution. The rest is paid out of the maintenance and operating budget of the city.

"We just want to be diligent with taxpayer money," Johnson said.

But - as Newburn pointed out - he never asked for the $1 to be added to the water bill.

Johnson said the dollar was instated during last year's budget process.

"We were trying to ease our own shortfall by adding the $1 to the water bill," Johnson said.

Still, Newburn said, he was counting on the money.

"The city of Troup allocates $30,000 to its volunteer department, " Newburn said.

Newburn said he counted on the money - both ESD and city - to build up the department's infrastructure.

"We've not been able to do the upgrades we've needed until now," he said. "Plus, we've been able to add two full-time firefighters to our payroll who man the office during the day."

He said the council should also consider the Cherokee County residents who benefit from the Smith County ESD.

"Cherokee County residents are getting the windfall of the ESD," he said. "And many are citizens of Bullard."

Newburn said he did receive an additional $10,000 a year from Cherokee County to fight fires all the way to the Jacksonville city limits.

"It depends on who you ask," said council member Stacey Thompson. "Were my house on fire, I'd want you to have the best equipment possible.

"But others may not feel the same way."

The city council - after tabling the item until the March 11 meeting - dropped the next item on the agenda which would have removed the $1 surcharge on water bills.

The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. March 11 at city hall.

For more information, call 903-894-7223.