November 24, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County Fire Department’s funding request for the purchase of two used fire trucks has been granted.
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission voted 11-3 to spend up to $250,000 from the capital projects account to buy the trucks to replace two homemade trucks which have been in the fleet for several years and can no longer pass inspection. All commissioners voted in favor except Dennis Slager, Bruce Malone, and Bobby Johnson.
The request was submitted to the county’s emergency services committee last month where it got a favorable recommendation to the full county commission. But the proposal was not received well by some members of the commission Monday night.
When the issue came up on the agenda, Commissioner Matt Adcock made a motion to grant the request. Commissioner Julie Young offered a second to the motion.
Commissioner Dennis Slager then moved to table the motion which received a second from Commissioner Bruce Malone.
At first Slager argued that now is not the time for the county to be spending $250,000 for fire trucks with financial uncertainties ahead for the county due to COVID 19.
“This money they want to spend was approved by the budget committee to put back for a rainy day. There was no recommendation by the budget committee to pass this. There is no reason to be in haste to spend this money. I am not saying we don’t have a need but this money was fair and square put back for a rainy day. We are in a COVID situation and we don’t know what our finances are going to be in the future. The budget committee agreed to hold this money back and it should not be spent at this time,” said Slager.
County Mayor Tim Stribling pointed out that the money put back for a rainy day in the general fund was $411,000 or half of the $822,000 in one-time state grant funds the county received this year. The fire trucks would not be bought from that rainy day fund. The other half of the grant, $411,000 went to the capital projects fund which is where the money would come to purchase the fire trucks. According to the budget the capital projects account is projected to finish the fiscal year with a fund balance of almost $1.5 million by June 30, 2021.
“That doesn’t mean you have to spend that. We’re being real good to the fire department. They got over a million dollars this year in matching money, state money and I am glad they got it but at some point we have to draw a line. We have never spent this kind of money on a fire engine. Spending $250,000 for two fire engines right now is not wise,” argued Slager.
Commissioner Bruce Malone said while commissioners are talking about spending $250,000 for fire trucks, they should also consider the financial stability of the ambulance service. “We are on track to lose $270,000 more than last year which is $20,000 more than the fire trucks. Why isn’t this being addressed before fire trucks? I would much rather have a solvent ambulance service than fire trucks. Yes, fire trucks are important but having a solvent ambulance service is important also,” said Malone.
Slager’s motion to table funding for the fire trucks failed on a 9-5 vote. Commissioners voting to table were Slager, Malone, Myron Rhody, Julie Young, and Bobby Johnson. Those voting against tabling the motion were Jenny Trapp, Anita Puckett, Beth Pafford, Janice Fish Stewart, Matt Adcock, Jerry Adcock, Jeff Barnes, Sabrina Farler, and Dr. Scott Little.
Slager then proposed an amendment that the county buy three fire trucks for $250,000 instead of two and that one of them be placed in the Wolf Creek area of his district where there is no fire station. Commissioner Julie Young offered a second to the motion.
“ Where would it (fire truck) go at Wolf Creek? Has somebody got a garage big enough for it”, asked Commissioner Jerry Adcock.
“ Let’s get the fire truck first and then we’ll find a place to put it,” answered Commissioner Slager.
“We’ve got the cart before the horse as far as buying a fire truck without a station and they (firefighters) have to seek out these people (volunteers) to recruit (to staff it) and that is a slow process,” said Commissioner Anita Puckett.
“Plus, in order to get good quality used fire trucks its going to cost more than $83,000 each. You get what you pay for and this is life saving equipment,” added Commissioner Matt Adcock.
“The last fire station we built was at Four Seasons and we put money back for several years as seed money before we built the building and then we talked about getting a fire truck later. Now we’re talking about a truck (for Wolf Creek) so we’ll have to rush to get a building,” said Commissioner Jerry Adcock.
Slager’s proposed amendment to buy three fire trucks failed on a 10-4 vote. Commissioners voting for the amendment in addition to Slager were Malone, Johnson, and Young. Those voting against the amendment were Trapp, Puckett, Pafford, Rhody, Stewart, Matt Adcock, Jerry Adcock, Barnes, Farler, and Little.