Firefighters fight for fund
5 months ago | 423 views | 4 4 comments | 2 2 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Sequoyah County Commissioners, when they tried to take $40,000 from the county fire departments’ fee account at Monday’s commission meeting, ran into questions posed by county firefighters about what they consider their money.

Sequoyah County voters approved a one-quarter of a cent sales tax for the county’s 21 fire departments, with 5 percent of that held back as a rainy day fund.

Margola Vix, wife of Darrell Vix, Brent Rural Fire Department fire chief, challenged the commissioners’ authority to take money from the fire departments’ rainy day fund. The commissioners wanted to take $40,000 from the fund to pay insurance costs for the jail.

County firefighters met Tuesday night in Muldrow to discuss the commissioners’ raiding the fire departments’ account.

County commissioners have reduced the budgets of county offices by 10 percent to help pay for jail operating costs.

But Vix and the county firefighters argue that money is an emergency fund in case a volunteer fire department runs into an equipment or truck emergency.

The commissioners tabled the decision until the district attorney’s office can review the proposal.

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comments (4)
« fun4all wrote on Tuesday, Sep 08 at 10:29 AM »
What are the idiot commissioners thinking? The sales tax we the taxpayers voted in is for the fire departments only and can't be used for anything else. Another way to steal from us and bail for their ignorant inability decisions. They'll try to steal from the firefighters retirement pension next. These guys need to go.

VOTE NO ON OCT. 13TH
« anonymous wrote on Monday, Sep 07 at 05:34 AM »
bet they are trying to take the $40,000 from them to help pay for this rigged election and i bet they well make empty promises to the firefighters to get there sticky hands on that money plus more people of our county your lifes could be at risk our elected thiefs are trying totake money from people that are there to help you should you need it this has to stop VOTE NO OCT 13TH then when the time comes VOTE THEM OUT
« Kenny-from-Methville wrote on Friday, Sep 04 at 12:37 PM »
I agree with you on that one, eagle-eyes. Good grief, the county commissioners and the sheriff will stop at nothing to take every penny someone else has. Why heck, they will probably be coming to our jobs soon and take our paycheck as we walk out the door. Let the county commissioners and the sheriff give up part of their hugh salary. It is evident they do nothing to deserve such a hugh salary.

Did anyone else watch the video of County Commissioner Steve Carter's town hall meeting in Vian? I bet they felt like they were talking to themselves with no more people than there was that showed up for the meeting. I wonder what it takes for them to understand what NO means.

I think our firefighter do a great job, which is more than I can say for the county commissioners and the sheriff. STAND YOUR GROUND, FIREFIGHTERS. DON"T LET THE UNDERHANDED OFFICIALS TAKE YOUR MONEY FROM YOU. ALSO VOTE NO OCT. 13.
« eagle-eyez wrote on Friday, Sep 04 at 10:11 AM »
Maybe the county commisioners should consider volunteering their time instead of receiving $60k each per year. If they took a 50% paycut then they wouldn't have to take money, against their constituants wishes, from the citizens who volunteer to risk their lives for the good and safety of their neighbors.

Alot can be learned from these brave firefighters and the public support for them. Respect is earned - not taken.

Anyone else smell a Recall Election comming soon if these "managers" can't manage to do more with less?

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