Commissioners consider fire and airport operations matters: reimbursements, contracts and a new Fire Commission

Forsyth County staff presented several public-safety and airport items to commissioners during the Sept. 8 briefing, asking for guidance ahead of formal action at the Sept. 11 meeting.

Fire and emergency communications: Budget staff reported that the county had previously appropriated $181,800 for mock alert station alerting upgrades for several fire departments. Three departments had already purchased equipment for four station upgrades, and the county would reimburse a total of $45,450 (four stations at $11,362.50 each) from countywide overlay fire tax fund balance. Commissioners discussed the public-facing name "mock alert" and the potential for confusion.

Fire personnel health and system governance: Fire Chief Brock Smith briefed a three-year contract with Wake Forest (doing business as Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist) to provide annual NFPA 1580 (noted in transcript as NFPA 15 80) medical examinations for fire personnel; the three-year contract NTE $66,750, with optional extension years bringing the aggregate to $115,200 if exercised. Separately, staff presented a resolution to create a Forsyth County Fire Commission: an 11-member advisory body (including ex officio commissioner and fire association officers, two chiefs/board members, and six non-fire-service citizens) to review system performance, capital requests, ISO/consultant reports and operational guidelines. The commission would be advisory; the Board of Commissioners would retain final decision authority.

Airport equipment and FAA infrastructure: Airport Director Mark Davidson briefed a sole-source maintenance agreement with Atlantic Emergency Solutions to provide maintenance, repair and on-call service for a 2007 Oshkosh Stryker 1,500 crash/rescue truck through June 30, 2026, with total payments NTE $100,000. Davidson said the NCDOT grant to acquire a replacement truck was close to finalization but that delivery of a new crash truck would take approximately 18 months. He also briefed a proposed FAA ground lease for the medium-intensity approach lighting system at Smith Reynolds Airport; the lease would allow the FAA to operate and maintain the lighting system and extends to Sept. 30, 2033 at no cost to the FAA.

Commissioners asked questions about historical maintenance costs for the aging crash truck and about how the Fire Commission's membership and nonvoting municipal appointees would be structured. Staff said they would provide additional documentation and that the items would be on the Sept. 11 agenda for formal action.

Ending: The board expressed support for the proposed governance structure and maintenance agreements and requested follow-up documentation on historical costs and membership details ahead of formal votes.