The Maysville City Council and Maysville fire chief James Lyle are at odds over the town’s funding for fire services.
At the council meeting Monday night, the council approved a $1.2 million budget that includes $11,500 for fire protection for Banks County residents who live in the city limits. The fire department had given the council a $23,000 fee for providing these fire services.
Council member Lynn Villyard made a motion to postpone action on the fire protection agreement until the March council meeting and set up a meeting with fire officials to go over this and come up with a fee structure for fire protection.
“There is no basis for the figure presented,” Villyard said. “The city council deserves a clear contract to make a rational decision.”
Maysville Fire Chief James Lyle reported this is the figure that the city has been working with for some time.
Villyard recommended that the city council and fire officials go over the fire protection contract before it is approved.
“I want you (Lyle) to show me how you came up with that figure ($23,000),” Villyard said.
Lyle said, “We were suppose to have already had a meeting.”
Villyard replied that the council had held several work sessions that Lyle could have attended.
“I was not invited. You didn’t call me,” Lyle said.
Lyle added, “We do this as a courtesy for Maysville.”
Villyard reported that in doing research on the fire protection agreement, she found that the city doesn’t collect enough in taxes from Banks County to cover the $23,000 cost and the rest is coming out of the general fund. She added that taking part of the revenue out of the general fund means that Jackson County residents in Maysville are helping to fund fire protection for Banks County residents.
The council earlier requested an itemized listing from Lyle of what the $23,000 will be used for. The council was in agreement that they don’t want the fire protection for Banks County residents to stop.
Lyle left the meeting before any of the motions were made.
As for the $1.2 million budget that was approved, it is down three percent, or $40,477, from the current budget.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the council:
•approved the 2011 water/sewer/garbage fund budget of $714,500, which is done less than one percent, or $6,166, from the current budget.
•unanimously approved the job description for the distribution/equipment operator position and moved Jonathan Gailey into this position with a pay increase from $10.60 per hour to $11.13 per hour.
•approved the water conservation and toilet rebate program. Council member Stephan Lewis made the motion to approve with $500 being set aside for the toilet rebate program. The toilet rebate is $100 per toilet with a limit of two toilets per residence.
•approved the non-exclusive tower attachment intergovernmental agreement with Jackson County for the installation and operation of communication equipment at the city’s water tank. Jackson County will pay the city $100 for this.
•agreed to partner with the Maysville Community Improvement Club to sponsor the 2011 movies in the park, Autumn Leaf Festival, Christmas in the park and seniors’ Thanksgiving dinner.
•heard from Trent Strickland, Maysville Community Improvement Club, who asked the council to consider approval for the community improvement club to put the building back that is adjacent to the community club building. There is just a façade there now and Strickland advised that the community club building is being damaged by water runoff and building the building back will help with this problem. No action was taken on this Monday night.
•heard from Maysville Librarian Laura Braught, who reported the patron count for January was 988 and the computer count was 410. Braught announced that the adopt-a-book program is going on through March 31. Citizens can donate $20 online using credit/debit cards or can donate at the library. Books will have the names of donors or whomever they wish in the front.
•heard from Braught that the dedication of “The Photographic History of The Civil War in Ten Volumes” would be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, at the library and everyone is welcome to attend.
•heard a request from Braught to approve putting a cap on the number of pages for free educational printing due to the cost increase of paper. Braught asked that the cap be 30 pages free, and 10 cents per copy for all over 30. The council unanimously approved the cap at 30 pages. The council also approved allowing Braught to set the starting date on these charges.
No James you do it because :
A:When your called for service your obligated to respond or call in and ask for mutual aid to take the call.
Try and not respond and let a person die James...your the Chief and your responsible.
B.Go pull an SCBA off Engine 50. They say Banks County Fire Association on them. Banks county tax dollars have paid for equipment for your dept so get off your behind and answer the 3-4 calls a year ..as a courtesy !
How about main street news pulling open records of your financial statements in Jackson County ? Bet Lyles has over $150,000 or so stashed away ?
The worse thing is our Mayor has forgotten that he was elected by the people not by Lyles and his fireman.
Mr Lyles if you would crawl out from under the good old boy tent you would know that the work sessions are public meetings you don't get invited( which way did they go duh).
Thank god the city council wants facts to back up a budget and don't just raise there hands.
Good Job Lynn Villyard !!
Where does the real accountability come from? There are many questions to be answered and it's time for these elected officials to quit avoiding the subject and fix this problem before it spreads.