Commissioners approve ordinance to reduce and publicize fire-district boards

Vice President Jason Sharp said the Floyd County Board of Commissioners voted to streamline local fire-district boards and increase public transparency. "This action is designed to ensure our fire boards are operating openly and transparently," he said. The ordinance reduces board size to five members to improve quorum reliability and requires each board member to be provided an official email address by the district; members will be listed on county and district websites and on the districts' social media pages.

The commission approved trustee rosters for the affected districts during the meeting. For New Albany Fire Board the ordinance lists Kyle Lanoue, Scott Sears, Ben Gipe, Gib Kinney and Danny Jacobs; Highlander Fire Board members listed are Matt Smith, Mike Nevin, Michael Blum, Heather Schonkwiler and Bill Fender; Georgetown Township Fire Board members listed are Mike Moody, David Fehr, Geoffrey McNulty, Travis Sharp and Mark Ringenburg. Each appointment and the underlying ordinance passed by unanimous vote after motions by Vice President Jason Sharp and seconds by Commissioner Frank Loop.

County Attorney Kristi Fox reviewed the ordinance language before the vote. The ordinance takes effect immediately; the commissioners said the change is intended to make it easier for fire boards to conduct critical business and to make membership and agendas more accessible to residents.