‘Paranoia’ or process: Will paid firefighters replace volunteers in York County?
There's some concern
"Everybody in this room should support volunteers," Chairman
Council voted Monday to dissolve the Riverview department fire tax board and put district funding decisions under county control. A separate decision set up job descriptions and pay ranges for new county firefighters. Those decisions still need two more county council votes to become final.
Several council members said they spoke with area fire departments who were concerned about a county takeover.
"We've stated all along, if you want to be a fire board in your tax district that's fine," said Councilman
In March, fire chiefs from 18 county departments gathered at a public safety subcommittee meeting to talk about long-range planning for fire service. Several chiefs said they did not want the county to take over their departments.
Riverview Chief
"The thought process is that we don't need to be in the HR business," Couch told county leaders in March. "We're firefighters. That's what we do. We're good at that. We're not good at HR."
The decision, he said, is about getting and keeping the best firefighters he can through better benefits, health insurance, retirement and related matters the county can offer on a larger scale.
Not everyone agrees, even within Riverview.
"We do not want to see the tax district board dismantled, because that's where we're paying our money in to operate
He said there are people within his district willing and able to run the department.
"If the tax district board that we have now does not have the time or capability to operate, then instead of demolishing the board, let them resign and let's put on some people from the community that has the time, that will get out here and work," Lesslie said.
Riverview serves an area from near
"Whether you agree with paid firefighters or not, they are adding them," said Johnson, whose council district includes much of the Riverview service area. "They have to. It is a fast-growing area."
At the same time, Riverview is shrinking with encroachment from municipal, paid departments.
"We are getting annexed daily," Lesslie said. "We're getting eaten up by
Lesslie sees a move to county control as extreme for Riverview and doesn't want the area saddled with paid positions when revenue sources can be annexed into municipalities.
"We do not want to see the county take over the paid fire system," he said. "Riverview is not big enough to have a paid fire chief. We have had paid firemen for years. It's not that big a problem."
Johnson said if the fire department believes the county can help, he is obliged to offer it.
"They are not in the HR business," he said. "They are not in the insurance business. They are not in the benefits business. The county is, and the county can provide that help to them."
A vote, or a step?
Councilman
"It's somewhat difficult to consider this decision outside of the context of the larger discussion we're having regarding moving to paid fire departments," Hamilton said.
The county recently completed a 10-year fire study. The study found more firefighters will be needed as growth continues. County manager
County leaders say full paid county service could come, but likely not soon.
"Part of the big shock wave is it's out there that, eventually we'll get to a county paid fire service," said Councilman
Roddey doesn't believe so.
"This plan of everyone transitioning to county paid staff is probably a lot further out," he said.
Councilwoman
"This is a step toward becoming a paid fire service," Love said of the Riverview decision. "It's a big step."
She, too, says county control could add costs for taxpayers.
"What I don't want it to do is affect the other fire departments who do not want to not have a board," Love said. "That is my biggest concern. I am trying to look out for my fire department in Bethel, and I'm trying to look out for some of the other fire departments that may feel like sometimes the rug's being pulled out from them."
Council members have been consistent saying departments should be allowed to choose what setup they prefer.
"We made it clear to all the volunteer firemen we wanted to do this as a transitional way," said Councilman
Council set a workshop
"We need to start having more meaningful discussions about, what does this really mean?" Councilwoman
Johnson points to the Bethel department, which in 2017 had its tax board disbanded by Council amid conflict between the board and volunteer firefighters about hiring a chief. The situation "escalated with threats (by volunteers) to refuse to respond to emergency calls." The district kept its volunteer chief setup overseeing its mix of volunteer and paid firefighters. The county staff took over financial decisions. A new tax board was eventually re-established.
In that situation, Johnson said, the county offered assistance.
"Certainly we've set a precedent of pulling a group in and letting them back out," he said.
The Riverview decision, he said, is also about helping fire departments. Johnson would like to see fire departments get as many volunteers as possible.
"Those who can't, should also have the opportunity to have paid ones," he said.
___
(c)2019 The Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Visit The Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.) at www.heraldonline.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Cory Booker calls for expanding Medicaid coverage for pregnant women
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News