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Residents urge council to preserve local volunteer fire departments; raise questions about past COVID funds
Summary
Multiple residents told the council they value volunteer fire protection and urged funding; an online commenter asked whether COVID-era money was used for current needs, and a resident pressed the council to ensure small towns retain local emergency services.
During the public-comment portion of the hearing, several residents urged the council to preserve local volunteer fire departments and to provide funding that ensures safe response. Carol Leek, who identified herself as a long-time small-town resident, said people "didn't move to a small town to not have a fire department" and urged the council to supply necessary equipment and protection for volunteers.
An online commenter, Cody Stewart, asked whether COVID-era funds that had been spent countywide could have been applied to current fire-service needs. Council members and staff acknowledged the question and said they would follow up on the allocation of prior federal funds. Other speakers described community fundraisers and cultural ties to volunteer departments, and several council members and residents discussed the trade-offs between keeping multiple local departments and potential consolidation for efficiency.
