Smith plan: Create board to oversee fire districts

View larger image

Doug Smith: "The whole idea is to create better communication between fire districts ..."
Order photo reprints

House Speaker Pro Tem Doug Smith plans to introduce a bill that would give Spartanburg County Council the power to establish a board to oversee the county's 37 fire districts.

The Legislative Delegation would appoint the board's 11 members. The board would have the authority to review and approve each district board's budget and annual report.

"Anybody who really believes there ought to be more continuity between the districts will support this," said Smith, R-Spartanburg. "The whole idea is to create better communication between fire districts so they can better serve their communities."

County Council Chairman Jeff Horton said he was not aware of Smith's bill. But he said he's not sure the council wants the added responsibility.

"Personally from a county standpoint, I don't want to take over fire protection or be a fire guru," Horton said. "I don't know anything about fighting fires; we rely on the professionals to do that."

Horton said he's certain fire district personnel will like the plan even less.

"I would think there would be some heartburn among districts to have an oversight board," he said.

Members of several fire district boards said they had heard rumors that something was coming, but that they didn't know any specifics. Sarah Jean Fowler, a member of the Una Community Fire Service Area board, said an oversight committee is "a bad idea" in any fashion.

"I feel as though you lose your people who depend on their own fire district," Fowler said. "And we depend on our fire department for a lot of things."

Smith said his proposal was a product of a 2006 task force's study of county fire service. The delegation meets at 5 p.m. Monday in County Council chambers, and a final report from the task force is on the agenda.

Smith views his bill as a compromise between standing pat and what he called Rep. Scott Talley's "nuclear solution," -- a 2005 plan to shift appointment of district board members from the delegation to the County Council.

"The only thing the delegation does with the fire commissions is appoint the commissioners," said

Talley, R-Moore. "We can't fire anyone, and their budgets are presented to County Council for approval."

Talley said his concern all along has been making the districts more accountable to taxpayers. The county's 37 districts have $22 million in taxpayer money to spend, so there's nothing wrong with more oversight, Talley said.

"I'm painting with a broad brush now, but the people who are doing it right are in favor (of a countywide board)," Talley said. "Those who are opposed are the ones we need it for."

Not every member of the delegation is on board with the legislation. Rep Keith Kelly, R-Woodruff, said he would have to take a long look at it because he doesn't want districts that perform well to "suffer" for those that don't.

"I'm not sure one size fits all on that," Kelly said. "The Reidville district, for instance, has great equipment, great firefighters and great people. And who knows the district better than local firefighters?"

Talley said in addition to accountability, a countywide board would enhance communication and collaboration among various districts.

Consolidation is not the goal of Smith's plan, Talley said. But that option remains open.

"Do we have a plan to consolidate? No," Talley said. "But if this board comes back and says there are opportunities out there and it's a better deal for the taxpayer, then absolutely it's on the table."

Robert W. Dalton can be reached at 562-7274 or bob.dalton@shj.com.