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Board hires Matrix Consulting for Newton County Fire operations audit amid public pleas to prioritize firefighter retention
Summary
The Board approved a $61,250 contract with Matrix Consulting Group to conduct a systemic operations review of Newton County Fire Services. Public commenters and commissioners urged swift action to address high turnover and staffing shortages; the audit will include commissioner interviews and recommendations for retention and operations.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a professional services agreement with Matrix Consulting Group for a systemic review and operations audit of Newton County Fire Services. The selected firm will conduct interviews, assess operations and recommend changes intended to address staffing, retention and service delivery.
County staff described a competitive RFP process and recommended Matrix as the best qualified. The contract amount is $61,250 to be paid from the fire fund. Commissioners said they want a clean slate for Chief Turner to build on and emphasized that turnover has been acute: speakers and public commenters said the department had lost dozens of employees in recent years and that many shifts operate below recommended staffing levels.
Multiple public speakers urged the board to make firefighter retention and competitive compensation a top priority. James Franklin, a resident and member of the fire department community, said the department is experiencing a “hemorrhage of institutional knowledge,” citing 51 departures this year and saying most daily apparatus deployments operate with fewer than the nationally recommended four firefighters per truck.
Commissioners who supported the contract said the audit is intended to produce actionable recommendations, including possible pay, benefits, recruitment and facility improvements. The firm’s scope will include interviews with each commissioner to capture policy expectations and to inform longer‑term planning for both fire and EMS.
Next steps: Matrix will begin information gathering and interviews; staff will present a scope/timeline and expected deliverables. The board directed staff to ensure the audit addresses compensation, recruitment and retention strategies as part of its recommendations.
Sources: County RFP process and staff presentation; public comments and commissioner discussion at the Dec. 2 meeting.
