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Commissioners approve mutual‑aid contracts with Cleveland and Cypress Lake; burn ban remains in effect
Summary
The court approved an annual mutual‑aid contract with the City of Cleveland for fire services (discussed at about $200,000) and a contract with Cypress Lake through September 2026, and the county fire marshal reiterated a burn ban amid severe drought indices.
Liberty County commissioners on Tuesday approved annual mutual‑aid contracts for fire services with the City of Cleveland and later extended a contract with the Cypress Lake Fire Department through Sept. 2026.
Fire Marshal Nathan Green presented the Cleveland contract as a standard mutual‑aid agreement prepared with the county attorney; commissioners discussed the dollar amount and the department’s coverage area. One commissioner stated the Cleveland contract figure appeared to be $200,000; staff and the fire marshal explained Cleveland operates as a combination paid/volunteer department and covers areas where volunteer coverage is limited. "They cover areas where we don't have volunteer fire departments," a commissioner noted while the fire marshal explained the mix of paid and volunteer staffing and greater run volume.
The court approved the Cleveland agreement after discussion and also voted to approve the Cypress Lake contract, with several commissioners asking for continued close monitoring of performance and the option to condition payments if service levels are not met. The judge reminded the public a county burn ban remains in effect after the fire marshal reported severe drought indicators (KVDI values discussed around 647), and commissioners urged caution during the holiday season.
