Catoosa County officials who tried to force a countywide fire service on the Fort Oglethorpe and Post Volunteer departments in 2008 are dragging their feet on providing information about funding and structure for a voluntary merger, Post officials say.
“It’s kind of frustrating to us because we’re trying to figure out how to move forward,” Post Chairman Robbie Tester said Wednesday.
The Post VFD coordinates Fort Oglethorpe’s small paid fire department and its own mostly volunteer force. The departments protect some county areas under contract.
He said Post and Fort Oglethorpe sent a request to the county in September, seeking information on how the county would combine both fire departments and how much would be budgeted to run the stations.
“We’re not opposed to combining, there’s just too many unknowns right now,” Mr. Tester said.
Catoosa County Manager Mike Helton said county staff is working on the request and will meet Friday to discuss plans.
“We are finalizing our staff meetings to reach a final conclusion so we can present it to the board,” Mr. Helton said.
If county commissioners approve the conclusion, it can be sent to Post and Fort Oglethorpe department officials, he said.
In 2008, the county began moving away from all-volunteer departments to a consolidated service using paid firefighters. When the county tried to cancel its contract to bring in Post and Fort Oglethorpe, the departments sued. The lawsuit was dropped in January 2009, when the county agreed to continue payments under the contract.
County commissioners made it clear they wanted to combine both fire departments after years of talking about making the switch, Mr. Tester said.
Meanwhile, Post was overseeing and supplementing the five-person Fort Oglethorpe department. But when volunteerism declined and Post began hiring and paying firefighters, the department needed more money to keep the city’s three stations running, he said.
Post presented a budget to the Fort Oglethorpe City Council in August, showing the department would need about $388,000 to keep operating with its current staff. City officials said to wait for the county’s decision on whether to combine departments, he said.
Catoosa Commission Chairman Keith Greene said combining departments could reduce costs.
“The whole premise is to eliminate duplicate efforts (and) to better organize the county and the fire service to provide a quality service,” Mr. Greene said. “I’m not saying Fort Oglethorpe and Post don’t provide a quality service; however, it would be more cost-effective.”
FORT OGLETHORPE FIRE STATIONSAt Station 1:* 1 driver and 2 firefighters on day shift* 1 driver and 2 firefighters on night shiftAt Station 8:* 1 driver and 1 firefighter with 24 hour coverageAt station 10:* 1 driver and 1 firefighter with 24 hour coverageSource: Fort Oglethorpe Fire Department
But Mr. Tester said Fort Oglethorpe and Post officials want to make sure the county won’t reduce the services offered or close any of the city’s three stations. That’s why they asked for more information.
“Right now we’re in a waiting pattern,” said Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Ronnie Cobb. “Until (the county) submits something in writing, we’re at a stalemate.”
Mr. Tester said the fire department is running out of time.
“Come March or April, we’re not going to have enough funding,” he said.