Story Chris Lawrence

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Actions by the Fayette County Commission could cripple fire service in the county, according to one official.

Chief Tim Richardson of the Oak Hill Fire Department said the county commission recently voted to reduce the rate of the public safety levy by 48 percent. The move cuts in half the amount of operating budget for the county’s 15 fire departments.

“That amounts to reducing the funding made available to your fire departments by one Million dollars,” said Richardson.

The funding covers a sizeable amount of the cost of equipment, fire apparatus, and other material. According to Richardson when the levy was created in 1982 it was also supposed to fund a fire training academy in the county.

As for why the Commissioners decided to cut the levy, Richardson said nobody is sure. State code allows for such a reduction by the Commission as the body which sets the annual levy rates. However, when the fire service leaders asked for an explanation they got conflicting answers.

“This present county commission made the statement the State Auditor’s office directed them that there was too much money in the levy fund and they needed to reduce that amount. However, the State Auditor’s Office was contacted by one of our legislative representatives and they said that was absolutely not true,” he added.

Fayette County has 15 volunteer fire departments and a 16th in Greenbrier County, the Rainelle VFD, provides service to that end of Fayette County. The reduction will be catastrophic, according to Richardson.

“This is going to cripple the fire service in Fayette County and it’s very disappointing because we think we have one of the best Fire Associations and service entities in the state of West Virginia,” he explained.

Richardson added they still don’t understand the decision because during last fall’s general election, the levy was overwhelmingly approved by the voters. Richardson said it was done with a vote of 89 percent of voters favoring continuation of the levy.

The Fayette County Commission will meet again Wednesday and Richardson hopes they will have a packed house of Fayette County residents. He said the change will be costly in higher fire insurance premiums and less fire protection.

“We would like to think they would reconsider the actions they have taken, but that’s yet to be determined,” he said.