Board approves volunteer fire association capital requests after debate; public‑safety vetting required

The Franklin County Board of Supervisors voted to approve capital and training requests submitted by the Volunteer Fire Association, but only after clarifying that the county’s public‑safety director would review invoices and verify purchases before grant funds are disbursed.

Background: The volunteer request covered turnout gear, air bottles, hose and firefighter training, and the group asked the county to release money held in a small local grant account established in prior years. The request included a total capital/training figure appearing in staff materials as $58,001.22.

Debate: Supervisors pressed staff and fire leaders over process questions: whether the grant program should be administered through the Volunteer Fire Association (the original intent) or channeled through the county’s public‑safety director (a change discussed in recent months). Several supervisors said taxpayer dollars require central vetting; fire leaders and volunteers argued the association vetting process had been the historical practice and that volunteer chiefs coordinate purchases and spare inventory among companies.

Chiefs and staff: Public‑safety staff said they had discussed the requests with volunteer leaders and had identified training needs and capital needs; Chief Ledbetter, president of the Volunteer Fire Chiefs Association, and others said the association had vetted the requests and that no purchases had been made yet. Public‑safety officials agreed to review and, if requested by the board, inspect invoices before funds left the county account. Staff and chiefs also discussed conserving funds for capital needs rather than using grant money for recurring training when county training line items could be used.

Board action: After discussion, the board approved the Volunteer Fire Association requests with a specific condition that Public Safety review and verify invoices before funds are released; the motion also allowed the public‑safety director to work with the chiefs to manage any appropriate reallocation for training funds going forward.

Why it matters: Volunteer fire and rescue companies provide most emergency response outside town limits. Supervisors said they want volunteers to retain an operational role in prioritizing purchases while making sure the county has invoice‑level oversight for tax dollars.

What’s next: Public Safety will receive the association’s invoices and confirm that requested items match county purchasing and equipment specifications before funds are released.