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Commissioners debate disbanding Squad 410 as chiefs, marshal and commissioners disagree on redundancy and response needs
Summary
A heated exchange over the future of County Squad 410 dominated the meeting: one commissioner said he will move to disband the squad at the next meeting citing redundancy and efficiency; the fire marshal and other commissioners disputed that characterization and urged use of data and further coordination with chiefs. No final vote was recorded.
Commissioner Wartman announced he plans to move at the next meeting to disband County Squad 410, saying the unit has been a recurring cost with unclear benefit and that the county should instead rely on mutual aid and local departments. "If we put them in a different department, unless the county gives up total control, then there's always going to be conflict," Wartman said, describing months of deliberations and a proposed five-month notice and severance plan for affected staff.
Other commissioners described lengthy discussions and divided chiefs' input. Commissioner Lindsay and Commissioner Pitman said they had heard mixed feedback from chiefs and volunteers and emphasized treating staff fairly while balancing taxpayer efficiency. Pitman noted efforts to get chief consensus and the complexity of placing personnel among different stations without uneven perceived benefit across jurisdictions.
Jacob Thompson introduced the fire-district ordinance item earlier in the meeting and participated in the Squad 410 discussion; the county fire marshal (Jason) strongly disputed the assertion that Squad 410 was merely duplicative. "As the fire marshal of Cabarrus County, I have not had a commissioner reach out to me and ask, 'What does the data say?'" Jason said, urging the board to consider operational data showing Squad 410 provides additional personnel for large incidents and to examine run-card options, ISO impacts and other deployment alternatives before eliminating positions.
Commissioners and staff discussed options that had been considered previously — collocating squad personnel with Mount Pleasant or Allen, splitting coverage between stations, or converting positions into permanent staffed apparatus — and why those plans had not been finalized. Several commissioners said they had tried to give notice and time to work out alternatives, while staff said they were awaiting board consensus to convene chiefs to develop implementable plans. Commissioners agreed to schedule the item for further action at the next meeting and signaled a planned motion by Wartman to formally propose disbanding the squad.
