Firemen question city’s cuts for training

Members of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department showed up en masse at City Hall last week to question the Board of Aldermen’s decision to cut funds for training firemen – a decision that was made a year ago.

Fire Chief Delbert Robertson said the city had cut approximately $1,500 for training and $300 for the department’s annual steak dinner and questioned why the cuts were made. Aldermen did not have a ready answer for that question.

The cuts were made in the 2000-2001 city budget and were not noticed by department officials until they received their last quarterly payment from the city. City Secretary Janice Barbee said City Hall sent a letter to the department last year notifying them of the cuts, but fire officials say they never received the letter.

According to records from the fire department, the City of Clarendon has paid $12,250 annually from 1993 to 2000. Total payments from the last fiscal year were $9,959.30.

“The city didn’t raise us in nearly 10 years, and now you’re going backwards,” Robertson said at last Tuesday night’s regular board meeting.

Of the current board members, only two aldermen and the mayor were present at the time of the cuts. Mayor Tex Selvidge said he couldn’t remember exactly what the reasoning was behind the cuts, but he thought it had something to do with the city perceiving the county as not paying its fair share of the department’s expenses.

 “Donley County is the damnedest place I’ve ever seen,” responded fireman Pat Robertson. “The county doesn’t want to do anything that might benefit the city, and the city doesn’t want to do anything that might help the county. But 85 percent of county residents live in the city!”

Department officials pointed out that the county pays more per year for fire protection. They also said while the number of fires may be higher outside the city, more water is used inside the city. Firefighters also said training for firemen has a direct financial impact on every city resident because it affects insurance rates.

Aldermen agreed to restore $1,555.96 to the fire department from the city’s improvement fund and asked that a representative meet with the board monthly to answer questions and improve communications.

At press time, it was unclear whether the $1,555.96, which makes up for the shortfall in the last fiscal year, had any bearing on the department’s budget for the 2001-2002 fiscal year. The current budget also does not provide funding for training.

In other city business last week, the board discussed street repairs and the possibility of a new paving program. Board consultant Colby Waters talked about rough cost estimates for different ways to fix the streets. The board agreed to have a financial advisor come to the city to discuss what the city can afford to do.

Librarian Carolyn Blackerby presented the final library policy manual for the aldermen’s signature. She also recommended Jerri Ann Shields be hired to work at the library. The aldermen approved her recommendation.

Ordinance 338, which sets dumping fees at the city’s new recycling center and prohibits scavenging, was discussed at length. Alderman Michael Tibbets said he had asked repeatedly at a previous meeting that his name not be in the minutes as having made the motion to adopt the ordinance. He moved to repeal Ordinance 338. Motion died for lack of second.

Mark White was appointed to fill the vacant alderman’s position of Smiley Johnson.

The annual Christmas party was discussed, and City Superintendent Jim Roberts reported on the recycling center and a shell of a house to be burned.

A Failure to Appear contract with the Municipal Court was discussed and accepted, and Colby Waters discussed licensing for plumbers. He is to get the rules and policy for the city.