Anthony Cloud
Staff Writer
The Bell County Volunteer Fire Department (BCVFD) has voted to close two more stations. This time around, the communities of Clear Creek and Brownies Creek will lose their fire stations.
Bell County Judge Executive Albey Brock responded to the closings by saying that he and the fiscal court will take action to prevent the closings.
Earlier in the year, the BCVFD closed the Arjay and Colmar fire stations. In an interview about a month ago, fire chief Rodney Wilder told The Daily News that Calloway was another fire station that could close this summer.
In that same interview, Wilder stated that no matter what three stations — Right Fork, Fourmile and Station Number 2 near Page — would remain open because they are all located near schools.
The main reason given for the closings is the lack of funding from the Bell County Fiscal Court, despite the fact that Brock has stated that the fiscal court would assume all cost of operating the stations if they remained open.
The BCVFD has also voted to sell two fire trucks and give one fire truck to Hopes and Dreams Outfitters [Hunting Club], which is allegedly located on Wilder’s property.
Recently, the BCVFD submitted a proposal to the fiscal court in an attempt to resolve the issues. The BCVFD requested several things, including that they (the BCVFD) receive 32 percent funding under a revised ordinance. The proposal stated that ‘“this is the exact amount slated for the fire protection fund under the 2010 ordinance”.
The proposal also stated that they (BCVFD) would provide to the treasurer of the fiscal court, in cooperating with potential audits of the fiscal court by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, any receipts demonstrating the services/costs/expenses on which the BCVFD has spent the insurance premium tax money for the previous one year time period. The proposal also stated that the receipts could be provided anywhere from annually to quarterly.
Ultimately the proposal was denied by the fiscal court.
The two sides are still battling in federal court to determine if the BCVFD is incorporated.
Anthony Cloud is a staff writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. He can be contacted via email at acloud@heartlandpublications.com.
Something smells here, ah, but then it always does in the Bell County fiscal court.
And if they eventually go out of business like Albey wants, the remaining assets don't belong to the county. As an IRS nonprofit, federal law dictates that assets - like a fire truck - can ONLY be donated to another nonprofit. I believe the hunting club qualifies without regard to who might own the land.
You might note some of the organizations who contributed to building that hunting club also contributed to Albey's election. I don't recall Albey mentioning that.
Fiscal court continues to collect that fire tax and has a sizeable fund already. Since Albey's ship has sailed - and sunk - that tax money needs to be refunded to the people who paid it and nothing further collected. Then, if the public wants a fire department they can fund it (for the same price) by subscribing directly to the service. If they don't, everybody grab a water bucket. Its never going to be "free".
We don't need to argue over this for years and years. Albey has roads, hotels, and power plants to build.
Interesting that Brock says he "would assume all costs" to keep the department operating. That's exactly what they asked for - and didn't get. Maybe Brock needs to check with some fellow JE's around the state to see how that's done. Its real simple - you agree to a budget and fund it. If it isn't a "legitimate cost", don't agree to the budget.
So tell us Judge Brock, what is the annual budget for the one fire station at Frakes?