By Randall Higgins
The Chattanooga Times Free Press
CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Bradley County commissioners are struggling to find a fire protection plan.
The options are whether to merge the Cleveland city and county fire departments, expand the county’s current fire service or consider a new city-and-county contract.
The county now pays the city $1.8 million annually for Cleveland Fire Department response to county urban areas outside the city limits.
On Monday, commissioners worked through the issues again. On Thursday, a county finance committee will get a report on statistics being compiled by legislative assistant Amy Moore.
The commission has set a voting deadline of Jan. 17.
“They (the city) are trying to use our ambulance service to hold us hostage,” Commissioner Howard Thompson said.
There was some talk a year ago that the city might begin its own ambulance service if there is no fire contract.
“This is not about fire anymore. It’s about money,” Thompson said. He said the city wants the county contract to help balance the city budget.
He called for a commission special meeting or work session devoted to the fire issue.
Commission Chairman Louie Alford said the commission is waiting on the figures being compiled by Moore.
“Then we can sit down with the city,” Alford said. “I think they are very receptive to sitting down with us.”
Commissioner Connie Wilson, finance committee chairwoman, agreed with Thompson that county commissioners should talk among themselves first.
The city and county did have a joint study committee last year, Commissioner Ed Elkins said.
“While there were elected officials on both sides involved in the previous discussions, I think some of the rank-and-file employees felt they did not have a voice,” he said.
Commissioner J. Adam Lowe, one of five new commissioners, suggested an anonymous survey of city and county firefighters.
“A lot of us have questions,” Commissioner Jeff Morelock said. “We also have the interests of the whole county in mind.”
In recent weeks Cleveland City Council members have reminded county commissioners that city residents also are county residents. And city residents, they said, face a likely property tax increase if the county goes alone on fire service.
Some commissioners represent districts that include many of those city residents.
Copyright 2010 Chattanooga Publishing Company