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Public comment at Swain County meeting: fire department staffing, a protest notice and calls for accountability
Summary
Public commenters asked commissioners to convene fire chiefs and HR about hiring paid firefighters, announced a local protest, and urged greater accountability for animal-control appointments and staffing.
Several members of the public addressed the Swain County Board of Commissioners during the work session's public-comment period.
Scott Cody, who identified himself as the new chief of the Lark Fire Department, said his department has two paid members and requested a meeting with HR, both fire marshals and the three fire chiefs to clarify the hiring process and responsibilities. "I would like to ask the commission both fire marshals, all 3 chiefs, to have a meeting discuss the do's, the don'ts..." Cody said, asking the board to ensure the hiring process is clear and equitable across departments.
Bob Ferguson announced a planned "no kings" protest at the town hall on Oct. 18 and invited those who oppose perceived executive overreach to attend.
Courtney Dils praised the board's openness and urged the public to engage in forthcoming animal-control hearings; she criticized past appointment practices and questioned the effectiveness of the county's animal-control officer, saying the position has been paid for two years but its duties appear unclear. "Why are we paying him? Because Paul goes out and takes care of all these instances," Dils said, calling for better decisions and transparency.
Other attendees publicly thanked county staff, including the sheriff's department and county workers, for recent road- repair work and urged the board to consider bringing new people onto the board during next year's elections.
Next steps: staff and commissioners acknowledged the requests and indicated the board or staff would follow up on scheduling meetings with fire chiefs/HR and ensuring public notice and participation in the animal-control hearings.
