Potts Camp VFD called into question

Potts Camp alderman Casey Mayer expressed community concerns about the operations of the Potts Camp Volunteer Fire Department recently.

The board of supervisors has not executed a contract with the Town of Potts Camp while awaiting resolution of leadership at the department and unsatisfactory performance.

District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor weighed in on the issue, asking if the department is in compliance and expressed views on why the fire department is not taking someone who wants to serve.

“Some people may have a legitimate excuse, but not taking in people who want to serve....” Taylor began. “If they are not making any fires, that’s a no-brainer. It’s a great idea having other firemen come serve. I’m thankful for all the firemen on the north end of the county.”

Mayer attended a recent fire station meeting and asked about personal protection equipment.

“They can’t enter a structure if they have no turnout,” he said.

Last year District 5 supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett complained about the dirty and disorderly upkeep at the Potts Camp Bethlehem fire station.

“It looked like household trash, like someone was living there,” Mayer said.

He thought Bethlehem Fire Station should get the state insurance rebate money entirely. Bethlehem is a substation of Potts Camp Fire Department.

Taylor was concerned that Potts Camp is not turning out to fires and said he sees only 35 reports in the first six months of the fiscal year, the lowest response on the list of fire departments.

“A city (town) should be more,” he said.

Emergency Manager Leland Reed said Potts Camp has a large service area.

“Waterford is doing very well,” Bennett said. “I wish we could help them out in their new fire department.”

He said Waterford’s response time is very good.

District 4 supervisor George Zinn III wanted clarification.

“Are you asking to dissolve Potts Camp or combine it with Waterford?” he asked.

The rural fire departments are operated as volunteer non-profits.

Mayer said before the town can make a decision the bylaws need to be looked into.

Taylor said the fire departments have to turn in a list of how it operated to the state.

“Who rewrote the bylaws?” Bennett asked.

“The founding organizational fathers of Potts Camp Marshall County Volunteer Fire Department started their own bylaws for that organization,” Reed said.

“I just want our citizens to know, if we have a fire call, someone will respond,” Mayer said.

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry asked Mayer if his issue is Potts Camp doesn’t have volunteers because those on the board of the fire department won’t accept some who want to serve.

“How many showed up to the meeting?” Terry asked.

Mayer said the department has 10 members and there have to be five present to form a quorum.

One person was complaining about a member who was said to be insubordinate.

“He said he left because he felt like he had a target on his back,” Mayer said of the unhappy volunteer.

One prospect offered to help saying he is not certified but has a commercial driver’s license and could drive a truck to a fire.

“I can get a truck to a scene,” he said.

Taylor said if everything was up to standard with paperwork and reports, “We wouldn’t be here doing this.”

Reed said the department could be behind on some of their run reports.

“Every year the fire department performance reports have to be sent to the State Fire Marshal’s office for review,” Reed said.

The county owns some of the equipment, the fire engine, but the fire department owns most of the equipment, said board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith.

She said by law the board of supervisors should have a copy of the equipment and fire station needs attached to the application for a contract.

Reed said the state insurance rebate money has guidelines for what it can be spent on and county millage can be used for other things.

“Sometimes you got to realize you have to have certain things to run your business correctly,” Reed said.

Susie Hill asked when the bylaws were changed did the bylaws say how many people must be present to hold a meeting.

Mayer said the fire department may have changed the bylaws so the number required to hold a meeting may have changed. But the contract under consideration is between the town of Potts Camp and Marshall County, he said. Potts Camp owns the engines but the county owns the fire truck in Bethlehem.

Mayer asked who the contract would be with if the town of Potts Camp enters an agreement with Waterford Fire Department.

Taylor said he prefers to get the problem at Potts Camp Fire Department straightened out before considering changing the county’s agreement with the town.

“The city of Potts Camp owns the buildings,” Bennett said.

“Are you asking this board to give the city of Potts Camp an opportunity to choose which county fire department you want to cover Potts Camp?” Terry asked.

“Yes, Sir,” Mayer said. “We are responsible outside the municipality. The county is going to be impacted.”

“If you choose Waterford, would you say Waterford 1 or Waterford 2?” Terry asked.

“I think you are saying what I’m saying. It will have to go before the board,” Mayer said.

“We don’t want to blow up Potts Camp Fire Department, we want to fix it,” Taylor said.

Zinn asked if there are restrictions against a firefighter being listed on two rosters.

“No, because the chief at Waterford is on Potts Camp,” Mayer said.

Hill said if the problem is not resolved, homeowners insurance rates within the five-mile radius of Potts Camp would be affected.

Mayer said the situation was brought to the attention of the Potts Camp mayor and board of aldermen in February. Eight of the 10 volunteers were in the room at the meeting and none of them got up to respond to a fire at Flick’s.

“Responding and fighting fires are not their priorities,” Mayer said.

He said the volunteers have just recently resumed responding to fire calls. The Potts Camp Fire Department was started in 1973 or 1974, Mayer said.

“I don’t want to dissolve it, but our people need fire protection,” he said.

“If they don’t have proper equipment, they can’t respond,” Smith said.

“It seems like volunteers are running the place but the taxpayers have nothing to say about it,” Bennett said.

Very few of those listed are from Marshall County, Bennett said. They are mostly from Hickory Flat and Benton County.

“They have their clique,” Mayer said.

“I’ve had firemen want to be on that board and they won’t let them,” Bennett said.

Mayer said lots of people from one family are on the board and it is a big conflict of interest.

“Sounds like Benton County is running the fire department,” Terry said. “Is there anything legal to figure out a way to override, to have input on who is serving on that board?”

“It could be problematic – our tax dollar,” said Smith.

“We may need to disband those volunteers,” Terry said.

“I believe if we had those out, we’d have people there next week,” Bennett said. “How many fires have they responded to in Benton County?”

“To one, Saturday,” Mayer said.

“What is the problem with dismissing them now?” Terry asked.

Smith said an option would be to form another non-profit.

“You can’t disband that board, but you can get another board,” Smith said.

Smith said she will review the statutes.

Mayer said the city (town) owns the squad truck and fire engine.

“We can put our equipment were we choose,” Smith said. “They want to make the rules, but not be active,” Mayer said.

Smith recommended not entering an agreement yet.

“In the meantime, are we protected in the county?” Mayer asked.

“They’ve gotta get up to par,” Bennett said.

“I don’t see how it’s going to change with Benton County personnel running a Marshall County fire department,” Terry said.

Bennett said the support is going to a group that the county has no control over, “because they don’t have to account to any of us elected.”

“That board is majority family, married in, but it’s family,” Mayer said. Bennett ended saying the county will get with Mayer and their fire chief and “tell `em what’s going to happen.”

“They are spending Marshall County’s money, not Benton County’s money,” he said.