By Larry Hobbs
The Brunswick News
DARIEN, Ga. — Several of Darien’s volunteer firefighters quit in protest after the new city manager replaced the fire chief last week.
Timothy Sweezey characterized the move as a cost-cutting measure for the city’s always-tight budget, but he assured residents this week that there are plenty of firefighters to cover Darien in case of fire.
“I’ve got 23 firefighters on call right now,” said Sweezey, who came to Darien recently after serving as manager of Marion County. “I also have commitments from McIntosh and Glynn County for backup assistance. If there is any concern in anybody’s mind whether Darien is covered, we are. You cant take that bank.”
Still, his decision to replace the city’s paid fire chief, David Gardner, with a non-paid volunteer chief did not sit well with some. Volunteer firefighter Andrew Altman said he is among several firefighters who resigned in protest of the move. Chief Gardner has been with the department since it formed in 2006, breaking off from the McIntosh County Fire Department.
Altman said he and other volunteers who resigned were especially upset because the firefighters were not consulted or notified in advance of the change.
“Just about everybody is pretty mad that he didn’t talk to anybody before such an important decision,” Altman said.
Sweezey replaced Gardner with Brian Feeney, who has served as a volunteer with the McIntosh County fire department. Feeney will serve in that capacity as an unpaid volunteer. Gardner, who served as a paid chief, will now work part-time as the city’s code enforcement officer and building inspector. This position is pending approval by the Darien City Commission, Sweezey said.
Darien’s volunteer firefighters are paid a stipend at the end of each fiscal year, based on the number of calls to which each individual responded. Volunteer firefighters will continue to receive that annual pay, Sweezey said.
Sweezey said the move is the beginning of long-term plans to merge the Darien Fire Department with the McIntosh County Fire Department. The merged department would staff Darien’s fire department headquarters, located at the old Ford dealership on U.S. 17, Sweezey said. The city equipment housed there, including a ladder truck and pumper truck, would remain at the facility. The county fire department presently has only one station, located in northern McIntosh, he said.
Sweezey said the merger eventually will the save the city some $200,000 per year. The city would see a saving of at least $80,000 this year as a result of the measure, he said.
“That’s at a minimum,” Sweezey said of the estimated savings. “And it will allow the fire station to continue to be operated at its location in Darien, which now only has a station in the north end of the county. And the residents of Darien should see no interruption in their current fire services.”
Altman, however, described the move as a “political” demotion of a chief who is well respected by the firefighters serving under him.
“We do this because we want to help,” Altman said. “We don’t want to be pawns in a backdoor political game. David’s been a guy we’ve trusted since the start.”
Darien Mayor Bubba Hodge insists the move is strictly business, designed to save the city money.
“I can promise you it wasn’t personal,” he said. “And I’d like to make it clear — the former chief is not fired. This is a reduction in force due to fiscal constraints.”
Copyright 2017 The Brunswick News