Board discusses fire stations

The Marshall County Board of Supervisors discussed future rural fire department needs at its Sept. 5 meeting.

Leland Reed, Emergency Management Service coordinator, presented quotes for a water tank that would be used to store water at Medic Station # 4 in Chulahoma.

National Tank Outlet quoted $17,104 and Protank quoted $16,732.

Reed said Port Gipson decided to keep the tank it wanted to part with.

District 4 supervisor George Zinn III made a motion to purchase the tank, but District 5 supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett questioned the motion.

“Where are we going to get the money, George?” he asked.

District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor said he would second Zinn’s motion as long as any rural fire department gets what it needs.

“Have we purchased any water tanks for rural fire departments?” Bennett asked.

“No,” said Reed. “You have not bought one.”

“George, you are opening up a can of worms,” Bennett said.

Zinn said his motion stands, “If we can find the funds.”

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry agreed with Bennett.

“You buy one for Chulahoma, you open a can of worms,” he said. “Have we bought one tanker truck?”

Bennett said the rural fire departments are so scattered, meaning it would be difficult for the tankers to be shared.

“We shouldn’t even be hearing this,” Taylor said. “This should go through the chief’s association. That’s what we said in our minutes. We’re circumventing the whole process.”

“It has been mentioned at the chiefs’ association but not voted on,” Reed said.

“It’s been that way for 20 years,” Taylor said. “We have no control over it.”

Zinn withdrew his motion then explained his position.

“This board made an extra step to try to assist Chulahoma,” he said. “We put that well in - a high-end residential well. If there is any concern about it, it should have been discussed before we put the well in without consulting the company that put in the well.”

He said the capacity or ability of the well to pump the volumes of water needed should have been discussed.

“I just want to get that off my chest,” he said.

Reed said the fire chiefs discussed keeping a backup 2002 pumper truck and offered to give it back to the county.

“So, Chulahoma, if it needs it, could be used at the new fire station as a backup pumper,” Reed said.

Refurbishing the pumper will cost about $80,000, he said.

“Red Banks Fire Department owns it. The county bought it and they are responsible,” Reed said.

Red Banks lacked room to store the pumper inside and weather has not been kind to the unit, Reed said. It should be moved to a station that has space to house it indoors.

“They want to give it back to the county to refurbish?” Bennett asked.

“It would be a solution for Chulahoma now,” Terry said. “They have space to park it.”

Taylor said the idea sounds good, but the county does not have it in the new budget.

Zinn said the chiefs are in agreement.

“It runs. It can be used right now,” Reed said.

Zinn said people are complaining that the building under construction in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park is not further along.

“They feel it should be done,” he said.

“We are still in the architect stage,” Reed said.

“It (the pumper) is usable now,” Terry said. “We could use it.” “They (Red Banks Fire Department) don’t have a place to put it,” Bennett said. “Send it to Chulahoma.” Reed said it will take 18 months to get a new pumper truck for Chulahoma. It will take two months to refurbish the old pumper from Red Banks.

Terry said the pumper has a 1,000-gallon capacity and is functional.

“It has leaks and oil leaks but is functional,” he said.

“Take it to Chulahoma in its present state without the county accepting it back,” said Zinn.

“Let the chiefs’ association decide to send it,” Bennett said. “If it sits without water it will ruin the seals. There is no need for a board order.”

In another matter, state representative Bill Kinkade dropped in the board meeting to share information on funds in the state budget for parks.

He said the state has $10 million in Federal Farm Bill dollars that is restricted for use to enhance parks and trails and conservation.

He said parks are helpful in attracting industry and can be located in industrial park areas.

“That would certainly bring more lucrative attraction to parks,” he said.

The projects vary in size, with some as small as $100,000 and some over $1 million, he said.

He said he will apply for funds for Wall Doxey to restore it to its former luster.

Zinn asked if monies could be used to build a bridge across a ditch at the Marshall County Fairgrounds to access property behind the cleared grounds.

Kinkade said there are 23 state parks with $60 million available for projects.

Wall Doxey is going to get $2 million,” he said.

“They want to get it back to the way it was when I was a kid,” Bennett said.

Taylor made a motion to build a walking trail for District 3 and District 2 supervisor Maxine Dixon seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Zinn then made a motion to build a bridge at the fairgrounds with funds if they are available, Terry seconded and the motion passed.

Bennett said beams salvaged from the old Tippah River Bridge now being rebuilt could be used to build the bridge at the fairgrounds.

Kinkade said any conservation-related project requires county matching funds.