Candidates Address Pending Consolidation Study
By Charlene Spelts
Three of the four candidates for two of the seats open for re-election met in a public form moderated by Daniel Rumfelt. The two incumbents Commissioners Jimmy Brashier and Jim Darby as well as newcomer Julia Campbell Altman were provided with the opportunity to meet with the public and answer important questions related to the management of the South Greenville Fire District.
The forum was the first of its kind in the district and it is hoped it will encourage a greater voter turnout on Tuesday, November 4th. Candidate Anthony Tate was not in attendance and had not responded to invitations to attend.
The Candidates introduced themselves and included a short statement as to why they were running for the position and noted their qualifications before the Q & A session began.
The first question asked the candidates to describe the role of the Fire Commission. Mrs. Altman responded that the Commission is the governing body of the district and is charged with the establishment of and overseeing the long-term goals of the district but not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the Fire Department. The Commission directs the culture of the department with the most important goal being the retention of well-trained staff. Commissioner Jimmy Brashier’s response was that the Commission is like “the Deacons of a church,” in that they oversee any department needs to maintain district safety and the safety and well-being of the staff. Through budgets the commission is charged with the purchase of equipment as well as setting the wages and benefits provided for the staff. Commissioner Jim Darby noted the Commission is charged with the fiscal responsibility of the district in utilizing the tax revenue to maintain a well-trained staff and to provide support to the Chief.
The next question addressed the funding of the district. All candidates agreed the tax revenue is the biggest source of funding and the tax dollars should be used wisely to train and maintain well-trained employees through competitive wages and benefits.
The question of most interest seemed to be “Greenville County Council has voted to perform a feasibility study on the possible consolidation of the fire districts. Do you support the consolidation and why?” Commissioner Darby noted no one knows what the consolidation would look like nor the operating budget. At this point Darby noted the study is politically motivated and it was not a wise action too “tilt the windmill.” The progress of the study should be monitored closely. Candidate Altman stated that until the study is complete there is no way to determine what consolidation would mean. Commissioner Brashier noted that South Greenville is still very much a large rural district with very different needs from most of the other Greenville County Districts. South Greenville is now well funded, well managed, and well equipped. Consolidation could mean the sharing of funds and equipment that should stay in South Greenville. Brashier went on to describe the current staffing, equipment, and response time allows the district to have an ISO (Insurance Services Office) a Protection Class rating of 2/2y which allows the homeowners and commercial property owners a discount on their insurance premiums. It was noted by all candidates that the current departments under consolidation, Sheriff’s Department and EMS, could use improvements in area coverage and response time.
The next question was “How should South Greenville Coordinate with other districts?” According to Mrs. Altman it should be noted the public is not concerned with whose emblem is on a truck when it responds to a life-threatening event. The district is no longer in competition when on call. Commissioner Brashier responded with the current process of automatic aid procedures with Piedmont and mutual aid with Gantt, Anderson County, and Simpsonville indicated the programs are working great. Commissioner Darby reviewed the fire response to the mulch yard North of Ware Place where mutual aid was received from 10 other districts. The relationship and response time among the districts is a well-developed process.
The final question prepared by the moderator was, “What is one bold change do you see on the horizon?” Commissioner Brashier indicated with the increased development of housing and commercial properties he sees a need for an additional station on Hwy 418. Additionally, there is a need for training for response to electric vehicle fires. Commissioner Darby’s response was public WATER the Possum Kingdon area currently being responded to with tanker trucks. Mrs. Altman, her bold change would be the addition of another station and innovative citizen training to include a Citizens Academy. Additionally, she echoed the need for water in areas that are not covered by public water resources.
The most pressing question from the floor was “What is the biggest threat to SGFD over the next 10 years?” Commissioner Darby responded Funding and Annexation siting areas that have been annexed to other districts and even into the City of Greenville. Commissioner Brashier noted that a USDA Grant has been applied for that could help block annexation. Other avenues are also being researched to insure the SGFD tax base is secure. Mrs. Atman stated we need to maintain our tax base to maintain the safety and well-being of the citizens of the district.
