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Resident calls on commissioners to stop changes to volunteer fire advisory board, alleges legal and transparency problems
Summary
At the public-comment period the board heard from Todd Mitchell, who said proposed changes to the volunteer fire advisory board (VFAB) would reduce citizen representation, asserted Currituck Fire and EMS has not complied with state law, and said he has discussed the matter with state officials and intends further action.
During public comment at the Aug. 18 Currituck County Board of Commissioners meeting, resident Todd Mitchell urged the board to halt proposed changes to the county's Volunteer Fire Advisory Board and expressed concerns about legal compliance and transparency in local fire and EMS governance.
Mitchell said he worked with the VFAB board and individual commissioners and claimed he had been told the county intended to "change the VFAB board so only fire chiefs are on that board and only two citizens." He told the board those two citizen seats would represent Corolla and Knotts Island (as described in his remarks), and said that would effectively concentrate representation on paid 24-hour fire and EMS providers.
Mitchell said he had previously told commissioners that "we were knowingly breaking state law with Currituck Fire and EMS" and that he has contacted the state and his senator. He also said he had asked county staff for data about volunteer responses and was denied records, and said volunteer activity is supposed to be documented on time sheets.
The board did not take immediate formal action on the complaint during the meeting. Mitchell said he had raised the matter with a state senator and that he intends to press the issue further. His comments were made during the public-comment period; he did not ask the board to take a specific motion on the record at that time.
Discussion vs. decision: Mitchell's remarks were public comment (discussion). No board direction or formal decision was recorded in the meeting minutes on the matter.
The board did not respond with a policy action during the meeting; commissioners and staff may follow up outside the meeting record if they choose to review VFAB membership structure and any state-law compliance questions Mitchell raised.
