BOCC: Both sides on Sunny Hills fire department given chance to get along

CHIPLEY – The word is this to the feuding fire fighters in Sunny Hills: Start talking or the new fire service takes over on Dec. 1.

New Washington County Board of County Commissioners’ Chairman Eddie Holman made the recommendation to Sunny Hills Volunteer Fire Department Board Chairman Earl Stewart and Al Gothard, speaking for the new Sunny Hills Fire Service.

After another contentious session between the two sides of the Sunny Hills fire department controversy Holman made a suggestion: Let a mediator know by Monday at noon if the two sides are willing to sit down with a mediator and hash out their differences. If the answer is no, then the agreement approved on Oct. 22 by the BOCC to give the contract to the Fire Service will go into effect on Nov. 30

Commissioners were clearly upset about the most recent squabble at a BOCC meeting between the factions in Sunny Hills. The current controversy stems from the BOCC’s vote to not renew the fire service contract with SHVFD and to give the contract to SHFS, formed in part from former SHVFD firefighters.

The meeting was filed with claims and counterclaims by the two sides, with members of the SHVFD faction claiming that the community’s Insurance Service Organization rate would increase due to the changeover versus the information that ISO would not change the rate until an inspection was done, and that would be some time in the future.

The new service would have a place to stow its engines and gear. Commissioner Donnie Strickland said the new provider would use Randall Weekley’s shop until a new structure would be built once land is obtained. It was estimated that a pole barn with sides and a concrete floor and other features could be built for about $25,000, while other claimed that it would cost up to $500,000 to build a complete fire station.

The current fire station is owned by the Sunny Hills Volunteer Fire Department.

Strickland said the BOCC is looking at two sites for the new fire station.

There would also be an inventory on Nov. 30 to gather equipment and vehicles owned by the County and the Municipal Services Building Unit for Sunny Hills that is administered by the County.

The BOCC also approved the CSX railroad agreement presented by Chamber of Commerce executive Director Ted Everett. Under terms of the agreement CSX Transportation, Inc. would build a sidetrack parallel to the main track for passing and storage as part of the program to bring Foley Pipe to the county industrial park. The $673,000 project is funded by state grants.

Bids for the associated rail spur into the industrial park will be issued within three-to-four weeks.

The Foley project, known throughout the negotiation stage as “Project Pipe,” will eventually bring 152 jobs to the area. The BOCC also approved low bid of $505,000 from GAC Contractors to build the new industrial park access road.

The Board also elected Howell, the outgoing chairman, as vice-chairman, approved the liaisons to various departments and organizations, rehired Gerald Holley as BOCC attorney, and approved keeping the regular meeting time at 1 p.m. every fourth Thursday. The BOCC will meet at 5 p.m. once a quarter and move meetings around the county. The monthly workshop would remain at 9 a.m. the Monday before the regular meeting.