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Hundreds of residents and volunteer firefighters press Onslow County commissioners over proposed fire-service contract
Summary
Dozens of volunteer fire department members, community residents and business owners urged commissioners to renegotiate a proposed county contract that volunteers say could strip departments of assets and autonomy; commissioners defended oversight and funding increases.
Dozens of volunteer firefighters, department leaders and residents urged the Onslow County Board of Commissioners on May 19 to delay or rewrite a proposed county contract governing volunteer fire departments, saying the draft would strip departments of autonomy and allow the county to seize locally funded assets.
The appeals came during the meeting’s public-comment period, where speakers representing multiple departments described decades of volunteer service and raised concerns about contract provisions that they said were vague, coercive and could undermine recruitment.
“I'm strongly against the new fire department contract,” said Mac McDonald, a retired Half Moon fire chief. “The fire chief, the president, and the board of directors of the fire department will have little to no control over the fire department assets.”
Why it matters: Commissioners are proposing a one-year agreement tied to increased county funding; volunteers warned that clauses allowing transfer of equipment or property if a department cannot provide service could take locally raised assets purchased with donations and fundraisers. Commissioners said the county’s larger investment requires basic accountability and protections for taxpayers.
Speakers described practical and emotional consequences. Whitney Cantrell said volunteer departments keep rural areas staffed at night, on weekends and holidays and that their operational funding “is used for vehicles, equipment, gear training, and upkeep,” adding, “To then say the county should own equipment or assets because of that funding is to turn dedicated volunteers into unpaid employees with no benefits, no voice.”
Other commenters raised specific contract concerns: performance metrics (for example, a 15‑minute response-time target cited in the draft), the speed of the county’s rollout and possible retroactive claims on equipment bought with grants or community funds. Gregory Brown III and Tammy Zweck provided a point-by-point critique of the county’s public messaging around the contract, saying earlier county statements overstated collaboration and mischaracterized funding sources.
Commissioners responded during the meeting. Commissioner Aaron Bennett emphasized the scale of recent county investment and defended insistence on basic accountability: “In 2017, we supported the volunteer fire departments to the tune of $2,000,000. This year, we're proposing to support our volunteer fire departments to the tune of $10,000,000… If I'm gonna give away $10,000,000 of taxpayer money, the taxpayers have to have some interest in what they're buying.” He also stressed the contract is for one year and invited negotiation: “If you don't like some of the terms, let's talk about it. We got a year to talk about it.”
Other commissioners urged calmer dialogue and more meetings with chiefs and county staff. Commissioner Matthew Davis said he will meet with chiefs and county attorney to explore administrative policy changes and practical clarifications. Commissioner Paul Buchanan said the agreement “was evolved, developed through the corroboration committee process that included multiple fire chiefs as well as county commissioners” and noted “significant compromise and change” had been made during drafting.
What was not decided: The board did not adopt or vote on the volunteer fire department contract during the meeting; several commissioners said the one-year funding approach gives time for further negotiations. Speakers asked for clearer timelines, explicit protections for community-raised assets, and working groups that include local chiefs and citizens.
Next steps: Commissioners repeatedly invited department leaders to the table and said staff and the county attorney would work with volunteers on clarifications. Several commissioners asked that fire chiefs contact the county attorney and county manager to arrange follow-up meetings.
Ending: The public-comment period drew a large turnout and sustained discussion about volunteerism, public funding and local control. Commissioners and speakers said they expect ongoing talks in the coming weeks while the county administers an interim funding plan for the 2025 fiscal year.
