WALTHALL — The process of creating rated fire districts is underway in Webster County, which should reduce the cost of homeowner’s insurance in rural areas.
Toby Sanford of the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District addressed the Board of Supervisors about rated fire districts and fire coverage areas Sept. 16. As the agency’s geographical information systems manager, he said Webster County needs to create rated fire districts, meeting minutes reflect.
The board then instructed Fire Coordinator Barry Rushing and Sanford to immediately begin taking steps to implement rated fire districts and improve fire coverage access in Webster County.
The aim, according to the minutes, is to reduce the cost of homeowner’s insurance and other types of fire insurance in rural areas of the county. Doug Burgess (District 5) made the motion to do so and Eudy Morris (District 1) seconded it.
Other Business
In addition to previously reported business since Sept. 3, the board handled these matters on the respective dates:
Sept. 16: The board approved a motion stating that, given the Tomnolen Volunteer Fire Department chief had just resigned, Rushing should immediately collect all financial records of the fire department and bring them to the chancery clerk’s office for examination by the Board of Supervisors.
Rushing addressed the board at another recessed meeting Sept. 25. According to the minutes, he reported Tomnolen VFD had met and elected a new fire chief. The board then instructed Rushing to turn financial records back over to the new Tomnolen fire chief and the Tomnolen VFD. Rushing told the WPT that the new chief is Michael Johnson.
In other business Sept. 16, minutes show the board voted to:
• authorize the board president and clerk to both sign the response to the Monitoring Report of Aug. 15 and also for both of them to sign the Appalachian Regional Commission agreement relative to the closeout of the ARC grant for courthouse infrastructure improvements.
• advertise in the Progress-Times’ “At Home in Webster County” edition.
• remove outdated computers from the tax assessor’s inventory and add them to the inventory of the Board of Supervisors, Justice Court and Emergency Management Agency with different numbers.
• direct the accounts payable clerk to make budgeted transfers from Fire Rebate to all nine volunteer fire departments including the municipal fire departments and to disburse the fire levy among the six county fire departments.
• direct the accounts payable clerk to make a budgeted transfer from the General Fund to the EMS Capital Fund in the amount of $1,600.
• make a payment from District 3 Road to District 4 Bridge in the amount of $31,500. The original loan was for $95,400 and this payment leaves a balance of $0.
• make a payment from District 4 Road to District 4 Bridge in the amount of $4,000. The original loan was for $8,000 and this payment leave a balance of $0.
• make a payment on an interfund loan from Volunteer Fire Levy to each bridge fund in the amount of $7,800. After making this payment, the balance owed each bridge fund is $2,880.
• dispose with the special election of the office of District 3 election commissioner since Doris Tanner was the only person to qualify. She was appointed to the position in January to replace Etoile Herrod, who resigned. The special election was to have been on the District 3 ballot in the November general election.
Supervisors opened bids for various personal property offered for sale by road districts and the blacktop fund. These included a bush hog, trailer, three pickups, scrap culverts, loader, chip spreader and sweeper.
The board then voted to reject all bids and to enter into negotiations with interested individuals to sell the personal property, finding that it can all be sold for scrap and bring more than the amount of the bids, and that the value of each individual item is less than $1,000.
Sept. 30: authorized approving all budget amendments to actual expenditures and revenues for the month of September.
Oct. 7: Supervisors discussed an Oct. 1 letter regarding funding from Fran Smith, branch manager of the Webster County Public Library. They tabled any action pending further information from the library.
The board voted to pay two bills for the courthouse’s Oct. 6 open house from the general fund, which were $1,340.71 from the House of Memories and $119 from Teacups and Tulips. Additionally, the board voted to sell a totaled 2008 Ford F-150 from District 2 to Calvin’s Auto Sales & Salvage for $800.
The board recessed until 8:30 a.m. Monday.
