Fire department in limbo

State representatives Scott Talley and Brenda Lee suggested two possible solutions for the troubled Arkwright Volunteer Fire Department Monday night: Dissolving the department or expanding the department's board of commissioners to get more community input.

The legislators met with Arkwright residents Monday night to discuss the community's concerns about their fire department.

The meeting at Roebuck Elementary was one of two being held to discuss the department's matters. Arkwright Volunteer Fire Department Chief Vinson Sherbert and his administration invited the public to a meeting at the department's Southport Road station.

Talley said Sherbert called his meeting after being invited to attend the meeting at Roebuck Elementary School's cafeteria.

About 70 people attended the meeting called by the two legislators. Those

in attendance questioned how they could remove Sherbert and how to improve the department's response times and equipment management.

Talley and Lee said they don't have a preference on which direction the community decides to go. They just want the Arkwright community to get involved.

"It's whatever they want… They would be the ones to make that decision," Lee said.

Talley said disbanding the department would require 40 percent of Arkwright's registered voters to sign a petition to get dissolving the department on the November ballot.

The Roebuck and Croft fire departments would probably be responsible for the area because they have an automatic aid agreement with Arkwright's fire department that calls for Croft and Roebuck firefighters to respond to any structural fire in the community along with Arkwright's firefighters.

Talley, however, said a quicker solution could be to get more people named commissioners for the Arkwright fire district.

Talley and Lee said they would propose expanding Arkwright's board of commissioners from three to five members to the Spartanburg County legislative delegation this week.

Lee said few people have expressed an interest in serving on the board in her nine years representing the area until now.

"I guess it takes an emotional issue to get people to standup and say I want change," Lee said

Lee and Talley said three new commissioners could join the existing members of the board within a month and if they want to fire Sherbert, they can.

"That commission has authority," Lee said.

Charles Nichols is one of those interested in being a commissioner. Nichols said many people have been hesitant to apply for the board because they didn't want to be accountable for any wrongdoings committed by past commissioners.

Nichols said if he's named a commissioner he wants an audit conducted to find out how money has been spent.

Connie Jackson, 34, said she's lived in Arkwright her whole life and she wants to see some changes with the fire department.

Jackson has been getting signatures since Thursday to get Sherbert removed as chief.

"If we can't get Mr. Sherbert removed, I'm all for (dissolving the department)," she said.

Jackson said she would like to have a follow-up meeting that Sherbert and his mother could attend to answer questions. Talley said if additional commissioners are added to the board, the follow-up meeting could involve the new board members and the public.

Toney Sherbert, Sherbert's brother and a volunteer fireman with the department, along with another volunteer fireman, Robert Guy, attended the meeting at Roebuck Elementary. Guy attempted to answer a question at the meeting and Talley cut him off and said representatives from the department had an opportunity to attend, but declined.

Spartanburg County Council members Johnnye Code Stewart and Rock Adams also attended the meeting. Fire Marshal Bill Hall and Assistant County Administrator Glenn Breed were in attendance and Croft Fire Chief Lewis Hayes and Roebuck Chief Brian Harvey assured citizens that Arkwright has fire protection.

About 30 supporters joined Sherbert and his mother, Patricia Harris, the department's remaining commisioner, at the fire station on Southport Road to hear explanations concerning problems they said occurred between Sherbert's dismissal in January and his reinstatement last week.

Sherbert said during that time, the number of firefighters dwindled to possibly four but added others had been recruited, bringing the number to 14. He said they all meet OSHA standards.

"I assure you that our ISO rating will not change and insurance premiums will not go up," he said.

Harris said she had to reinstate her son because the interim administration she appointed with his January arrest had failed to obey her orders and follow policy and procedures.

Sherbert said that included answering a fire call with a truck that was not properly equipped, and on at least one call in the Arkwright District, no volunteers responded. Mutual aid departments had to cover for them. "But that's not uncommon in volunteer fire departments," he said.

On another issue, he blamed poor bookkeeping for the State Fire Marshal's Office not having the names of all of the firefighters in his department. "I had sent the packets in," he said.

Both Sherbert and Harris said that many firefighters in the county had trained at Arkwright, and many went on to paid jobs in other departments.

Harris said she was proud of the district, its volunteers, the station and its equipment.

"When I became a commissioner, I did so to help make improvements. Many mothers don't know what it's like to send their son into a burning house – not knowing if he will come out. But now that they have the best protective gear available, I can lay my head down on my pillow at night and sleep," she said.

Sherbert also refuted other reports that Arkwright drivers are not properly licensed to drive the large trucks.

Regarding the petition drive organized by Connie Jackson, Sherbert said firefighters saved Jackson's sister's family from a burning house early on a cold morning when temperatures were below freezing several years ago.

"Those not involved in the firefighting actually took their coats off and gave them to them. We got nothing but thanks from those people then. Where was Connie Jackson when we needed her 10 years ago?" he asked.

Sherbert said when the new fire station was built, he and several part-time employees were being paid. "I, myself, put a stop to that, telling the commissioners that the budget for the new station could not continue to support the salaries," he explained.

Several people spoke in support of Sherbert, who recognized several firefighters and junior firemen in the audience.

Cindy Carroll said Sherbert gave her 17-year-old son, Luke Fullerton, a chance to learn as a cadet. "Other departments in this county would not give him the time of day, but you took him in when he was 16-years-old, and I thank you for that," she said.

Fullerton, who has a high school ring with a firefighting emblem, said he couldn't wait to graduate in a couple of months. "I'm gonna be a firefighter," he said.

Mendy Burns, who has joined the Arkwright Department as a volunteer after serving at New Prospect for five years, praised the extent of training Sherbert has received locally and on the state and national levels.

"He's a good leader, and a good chief, regardless of any (criminal) charges against him," she said.

Sherbert said he is confident the charges against him will be dropped. He said concerns about the red Chevy Tahoe he drives are unfounded.

It is issued by the department and contains materials he needs while he continues to serve only in an administrative capacity since his reinstatement.

He said recent criticism that he was not a member of the Spartanburg County Fire Chief's Association was easily explained.

"In that group, we were pressured into having a representative who attends the meetings when I could not, sign my name. We chose not to do that," he said.

Janet Spencer can be reached at 562-7222 or janet.spencer@shj.com.

Dudley Brown can be reached at 562-7426 or dudley.brown@shj.com.

More Headlines