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Commissioner urges county to prioritize funding for volunteer firefighters
Summary
A county commissioner asked finance staff to seek ways to fund volunteer fire departments at next year’s budget, citing statewide volunteer shortfalls and the county’s reliance on volunteers in rural districts.
At the Courthouse Property Committee meeting on June 17, 2025, a committee member urged county finance officials to prioritize funding for volunteer firefighters next budget cycle, saying the county is "losing volunteers hand over fist" and that volunteers shoulder out‑of‑pocket costs for fuel and training.
The speaker, who did not give a full name in the transcript, said the county’s paid fire department relies "heavily on our volunteers" and asked finance staff to work with commissioners to find funding next year. "I would challenge finance to find a way to fund that because we're losing volunteers hand over fist across the whole state," the speaker said, urging attention to recruitment and retention in District 1 and other rural areas.
The speaker specifically referenced Commissioner Maddox as having raised the issue during budget hearings and addressed "Mark" and finance staff directly to press for action. No formal motion to reallocate funds or a budget vote occurred at the meeting; the exchange was part of the reports segment.
Committee members did not record a formal decision on funding during this meeting. The committee approved the meeting reports by voice vote and moved on to other agenda items.
