Fire bond vote is possible

Thu, 06/26/2008 - 3:01pm
By: Ben Nelms

Coweta residents may get the chance to address growing public safety needs as early as November by voting on a bond issue for $15-20 million in equipment and facilities for the county fire department. A successful vote in the referendum would offset a potential millage increase needed to meet county fire response requirements.

Chief Dennis Hammond told commissioners June 17 the Coweta Fire Department has significant needs, including a new headquarters station, a new station near the Corinth Road/Bohannon Road area, two additional ladder trucks and additional equipment and an 800 megahertz trunking system for radio communications.

“We’ve talked about funding for a long time,” said County Administrator Theron Gay, noting that the original referendum in the 1970s capped the fire department at 2.5 mills.

Hammond and Gay referenced Coweta’s rapid grow in recent years and the projected continuation of that growth, saying that it is questionable whether funding sources the department has relied on for more than 30 years will be sufficient to meet future fire safety needs.

Meeting those needs through a referendum would offset the possible alternative of a millage increase of approximately .5 mills over 20 years.

Commissioners were receptive to the idea of a holding a referendum. They will discuss the issue further at the next meeting, including having the measure on the November ballot. The referendum could be held in March 2009 if the November date cannot be worked out.

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Submitted by Kerry Cochran on Thu, 06/26/2008 - 7:05pm.

I would like to see Coweta County Fire Department receive more funds because they definitely need them. I don't agree with the money being spent on new stations and two ladder trucks. I would like to see Coweta have at least two personnel per apparatus, and eventually three personnel per apparatus. The 800 MHz radio system is a good idea because it would bring their old system up to local standards and improve the quality of their communications. I work for a fire department that isn't far from Coweta County and I can appreciate the help of additional personnel rather than more stations and apparatus with one person. Stop spending the money on expensive fire trucks and stations and start adding more well trained firefighters.

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