City to keep fire funding
By Lori Mellinger editor@bullardnews.com

Bullard City Council members unanimously voted to keep funding the city's volunteer firefighters at last week's meeting - but with no additional cost to taxpayers.

At last month's meeting the council tabled an item to discontinue funding to the department because of the Emergency Service District funding the department now receives.

"Several things have come up since we tabled the item," said Bullard Mayor A.W. Hines, "and there are several ways we could approach the issue."

Hines said it could be placed on water bills as a voluntary donation - instead of the mandatory dollar voted on by council in August 2007 - but after consideration, he didn't believe this was the answer.

"We budgeted for this item last year. We have a contract with the department," he said.

He also said he believed it would be wrong to change anything in the middle of the fiscal year.

"We've done our budget - with the funding included - and the department has done its budget with our contribution included," Hines said. "It's just not the right time."

Hines suggested the issue would be revisited in the next budgetary process.

The council unanimously approved continuing the funding.

As for the mandatory dollar on citizen's water bills, that will go away as of the next billing cycle.

Council members also voted to drop the dollar surcharge - which amounted to about $975 of the $1,100 the city pays the fire department for services.

Council woman Stacey Thompson suggested that - instead of a mandatory charge on the water bill - that a voluntary contribution be added in the future if the citizens wanted to contribute.

"That would have nothing to do with our portion, it would go straight to the department," she said.

The council could address the issue at its next meeting.

Last month's discussion over fire department funding was contentious at times - with Fire Chief Keith Newburn telling council members about the department's need for the funding.

The council and mayor questioned Bullard Volunteer 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 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.

"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.

"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 Winona gives the department $500 annually plus an optional $1 donation on the water bill and Troup allocates $30,000 to its volunteers," 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."

Thompson said later that the bottom line in future funding is not so much up to the council as it is the citizens.

"We make decisions on their behalf, and they should have a voice in what we decide - not just about this - but on every issue," she said.

She encourages anyone with opinions on city business to actively get involved, come to council meetings or call her or other council members.

"When I first ran for election, I said my phone number was listed," she said. "It still is."