By Bob Fowler
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
CLINTON, Tenn. — A proposal to slash in half the county’s contributions to the budgets of Anderson County’s volunteer fire departments and rescue squad ignited a firestorm of opposition Thursday.
Firefighters and squad members packed the Anderson County Commission’s budget committee workshop after word spread the panel was considering the cutbacks as one way to offset what Mayor Myron Iwanski has dubbed a “perfect storm” of budget woes.
The county has been hit by reduced revenue, rising costs and a meager rainy-day fund, along with costly needed projects, including a major jail expansion demanded by the state that would take an estimated 15 cent property tax hike.
Iwanski has publicly endorsed that hike for the jail project, but he’s vowed to hold the line on the rest of the county budget.
Now, however, the proposed general fund budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 is some $900,000 out of balance.
Possible belt-tightening moves considered by the budget committee include slashing the annual donations to the five volunteer fire departments and rescue squad from $20,000 to $10,000.
There would be dire consequences, committee members were warned Thursday.
“It would severely curtail the amount of (emergency) runs I could make,” Andersonville Fire Chief Jeff Bagwell said.
“We will simply not be able to do as much, and our community will ultimately suffer,” he said.
Bagwell said a cutback in services could also translate into increased homeowner insurance costs for county residents within the volunteer departments’ coverage areas.
Brandon Stooksbury, with the remote Briceville Volunteer Fire Department, said the proposed cut translates into more than one-third of his department’s annual budget. “We couldn’t make (fire) truck payments,” he told committee members.
Iwanski assured firefighters that the cuts are only under consideration. Another option, he said, is to put on hold an annual $230,000 appropriation that enables one fire department each year to purchase a new fire truck.
Committee member Jerry White on Thursday suggested another grim austerity measure. White’s proposal to close the courthouse one day a week will be discussed at another budget workshop, Iwanski said.
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