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VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT FUNDING RESTORED
LAWRENCE COUNTY'S 13 VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS WILL SEE THEIR FUNDING RESTORED FOLLOWING ACTION BY THE COUNTY BUDGET COMMITTEE TUESDAY. BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS CHUCK DOERFLINGER, ALAN KEENER AND JERRY PUTMAN VOTED THURSDAY TO CUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN SPENDING TO BALANCE THE COUNTY'S 2008-2009 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET. THEY APPROVED A PROPOSAL BY DOERFLINGER TO CUT THE PURCHASE OF A NEW AMBULANCE, THE LAWRENCE COUNTY AMBULANCE SERVICE'S FOURTH CREW, ALL NON-PROFIT APPROPRIATIONS, AND REDUCE THE COUNTY'S ANNUAL APPROPRIATION OF $245,500 TO THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT'S, MEANING A CUT IN THE BASIC FUNDING TO EACH DEPARTMENT FROM $15,500 TO $9,500. THE COMMITTEE VOTED TO CUT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' $200 MONTHLY PAY IN HALF TO DECREASE THE FUNDING CUT TO THE DEPARTMENTS. THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAD PROTESTED THE FUNDING REDUCTION BY PARKING FIRE TRUCKS AT THE COURTHOUSE THURSDAY NIGHT. LEOMA FIREMAN JEFF BIRDSONG SPOKE TO THE COMMITTEE TUESDAY SAYING THE DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED TO 995 CALLS LAST YEAR. DOERFLINGER SAID THE COUNTY NEEDS TO PUT GUIDELINES INTO PLACE FOR FINANCIAL RECORD-KEEPING FOR THE DEPARTMENTS. COUNTY EXECUTIVE PAUL ROSSON SAID HE WOULD WORK WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS DURING THE 2009-10 BUDGET PROCESS TO ESTABLISH THE GUIDELINES. HE PLEDGED HIS SUPPORT TO RESTORE THE FUNDING. THE COMMITTEE APPROVED RESTORING THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS' FUNDING AND CUTTING COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' PAY ENTIRELY. DOERFLINGER VOTED NAY ON THE MOTION TO RESTORE FUNDING. ANNE BROWN VOTED NAY ON CUTTING 100% OF COMMISSIONERS' PAY. THE OTHER FUNDING CUTS TO THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND NON-PROFITS REMAIN IN PLACE. THE COUNTY IS LEFT WITH A BUDGET DEFICIT OF $143,844. THE COMMITTEE WILL RECONVENE THURSDAY AT 2 P.M. AT THE COURTHOUSE TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS ON THE 2008-2009 BUDGET. THE COUNTY BUDGET INCLUDES THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET AND MUST BE APPROVED BY THE FULL COUNTY COMMISSION.