CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Cleveland and Bradley County elected officials are searching for common ground on long-standing fire service issues.
Wednesday night, 11 of the 14 Bradley County commissioners sat down with all seven Cleveland City Council members. They alternated seats so no group of city or county officials sat together.
The two governments have three choices:
* Seek a new city-county fire contract to replace the one that expires in June 2013.
* Merge the city and county fire services.
* Go their separate ways, with each department serving only its own jurisdiction.
City Council members said they want to decide at their Jan. 10 meeting. County commissioners said their vote will come when they meet Jan. 17.
Almost all said they want to end the controversy with enough time left in the contract to develop the two departments or merge them.
The city and county have argued over fire service for years. But five new county commissioners elected in August asked for a complete review and then a vote to settle the matter.
Commissioner Bill Winters said he wants clarification about a study put together by a task force of the city and county but never acted upon.
“There’s just a big ‘why’ they did not go forward,” Winters said.
On Monday, Commissioner J. Adam Lowe put out his own proposal for a 10-year contract. The city would provide fire protection to county residents in fringe areas just outside Cleveland. The county would pay $1.2 million a year for at least the first two years before the cost could rise.
Earlier in the month, the city offered a contract at $1.2 million a year with increases tied to the Consumer Price Index.
“I think what Commissioner Lowe and Councilman [Richard] Banks are saying is, ‘We are willing to talk,'” Commissioner Jeff Yarber said. “The decision we make now will affect people’s lives for years to come.”
Public perception is important, Banks said, and the perception is that the city and county can’t work out the issue. “And that’s wrong,” Banks said.
Commission Chairman Louie Alford, who presided over the session Wednesday, said the Jan. 17 vote is “pretty much set in stone.”
“I hope we can leave here with some sense of direction,” Commissioner Terry Caywood said.
“We would like to have a decision and get on with it,” Winters said.
Commissioner Connie Wilson said the solution is up to the elected officials gathered Wednesday.
“This is what we were elected to do,” she said, “make the tough decisions.”
Contact staff writer Randall Higgins at rhiggins@timesfreepress.com or 423-314-1029.