King George firefighters press board over staffing, budget cuts and alleged threats to speech

Several members of King George Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 4438 told the King George Board of Supervisors on May 6 that recent comments by board members and proposed budget cuts threaten firefighters’ ability to staff stations and undermine free speech protections for public employees.

Union and local firefighter leaders made their remarks during the meeting’s public comment period and again during the FY26 budget public hearing. They said remarks at an April 11 budget work session threatened disciplinary action for a union social-media post that used information posted publicly on the county website, and they urged the board to meet with union leaders before finalizing budget decisions.

Why this matters: Board members set the county budget and oversee public safety funding. Firefighters said the proposals and rhetoric could reduce morale and staffing and pose direct risks to residents if stations operate with fewer personnel.

Union leaders described specific concerns about proposed reductions. Tristan Beverly, president of King George Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 4438, told the board, "When board members call citizens liars, dismiss organized labor as a little club, or imply retaliation for social media posts, that's not leadership, that's intimidation, and it's unconstitutional." He said the union acted on publicly available budget data and that public employees retain First Amendment protections on matters of public concern.

Ryan McGill, a Shiloh District resident and IAFF member, urged the board to consider local revenue options such as raising the meals tax; he said a 2.36-cent adjustment in the real estate tax rate would yield nearly $1 million. Several speakers asked the board to use such revenue to avoid cuts that would thin staffing and increase single-crewmember responses.

County staff and board responses: County Administrator Matthew Smolnick said the FY26 proposed budget does not eliminate funded positions in emergency services; he told the board the FY26 emergency services budget is $8,865,933 and "does fully fund every single position." Smolnick also noted that available, unspent funds remain in the FY25 budget (he said approximately $2.6 million remained with nine weeks to go) but that the FY26 budget process required balancing position requests and revenues.

Board members repeatedly invited the union to meet in small groups. Chair Davis and other supervisors said they appreciate firefighters’ service and expressed willingness to meet, while also reminding speakers of the limits on what the board can do immediately during a public meeting. Supervisor Collins said he would meet, but asked that meetings lead to actionable results rather than performative statements.

What was not decided: Speakers asked for immediate restoration of overtime and staffing funds they say were cut (one union speaker claimed $210,000 in cuts to fire and rescue). The board held a public hearing on the FY26 budget that night but did not adopt the budget; state law requires a later adoption date. The board did not take any disciplinary action or adopt new policy in response to the testimony.

Next steps: The county will hold a separate meeting to adopt the FY26 operating budget on May 20. Multiple union representatives asked the board to schedule separate, limited-attendance meetings with union officials to discuss staffing, discipline concerns, and public-safety implications.

Ending note: Speakers emphasized the professional duties of firefighters and said the union seeks dialogue and a nonpunitive working relationship with the Board of Supervisors.