A motion asking for an immediate inspection and audit of the Hickman- Fulton County Rescue Squad, on U.S. 94 east of Hickman, was unanimously approved May 22 by the Fulton County District Court.
The action was taken at a 4 p.m. special session at the new Fulton County Office Building in Hickman. Magistrates James Black, Henry Callison, George Jones and Billy Nelms Jr. were present.
The decision came on the heels of a May 21 news story in the Hickman Courier that the rescue squad was suspending its operations effective at 11:59 p.m. May 21.
Fulton County Judge/Executive David Gallagher said the squad has yet to notify county officials in writing of its alleged plan.
Gallagher said until then, if a call does come in, dispatch should send it to the rescue squad.
If it refuses to respond, the city of Fulton will temporarily provide rescue service.
Fulton City Manager Kenney Etherton said the city will “help them (Hickman- Fulton County) out for 30 days” if needed.
Magistrates also unanimously voted that if the Hickman-Fulton County Rescue Squad declines or refuses to allow the inspection or refuses to report as required by state law KRS 39FD.150 (1)(6), then the fiscal court authorizes the county attorney to file suit to recover possession of state and county equipment and funds.
Fulton County Emergency Management Director Hugh Caldwell was charged with notifying the rescue squad in writing of the fiscal court’s action.
The squad and county officials recently clashed over the squad’s request that the county buy it a new $90,000 rescue truck, that would enable it to hold all required equipment.
Gallagher said the truck was designed just for rescue work, but cost more than the county could afford.
He said the county offered to purchase a $30,000 truck on two different occasions but they were adamant that nothing would do but the one they wanted.
In January 2007, the rescue squad asked the fiscal court for help in purchasing the vehicle they said was needed to meet KRS specifications and allow then to transport their equipment and volunteers safely and efficiently. No action was taken on the request last year. The rescue squad returned to the fiscal court in January and March and again May 12 asking for support to buy what rescue squad leaders call the “much needed” vehicle.
The vehicle in question is a 550 Ford Quad Cab 4-wheel drive truck that would carry all equipment and haul a boat necessary when they respond to water rescues.
The rescue squad’s current primary response vehicle is a 1994 Dodge half- ton truck with a mechanics body and 142,519 miles on the vehicle.
The body has a gap making it appear as if the body, where some of the gear is stored, is pulling away from the main cab of the truck, apparently due to the fact it is hauling more weight than it was intended.
At the earlier May 12 fiscal court meeting, the rescue squad proposed a 1 1/2 cent per $100 tax as allotted by KRS,
But the county was unwilling to create a new tax.
The rescue squad is unable to charge for their services.
The fiscal court gives the rescue squad about $12,500 per year.
About $10,000 of that goes for utilities and insurance.
“I don’t know of anything we have declined that they asked for,” except this, one magistrate said.
And another magistrate made it clear that the magistrates offered to buy the squad a truck, just not the one they said they had to have.
County Attorney Rick Major said they would not be violating state statutes if they used two trucks to transport the equipment and men, rather than one truck.
Nelms said he was particularly concerned that the squad turn over the Jaws of Life equipment, so it could be used by others instead of being locked up in a building.
Gallagher said after he heard about the rescue squad’s intentions, he called rescue squad member Jim Moss and asked for a signed copy of their board’s vote.
Gallagher said it has yet to be provided.
“Everybody (news media and others) seems to have gotten it but the county,” he said.
Magistrate Black said, “It’s too bad we can’t sit down and work it out.”
In other business, the court unanimously voted to lease a John Deere motor grader 672 D for grading gravel roads.
The county will be paying $1,390.90 per month for 36 months. The purchase price would have been $181, 069.
Under the lease, the county would not have to pay for repairs or worrying about the grader being out of service for repairs.
The arrangement is with E. R. B. of Paducah.
The county would have to pay one lease up front, which is a typical arrangement, county officials said.
In addition, E. R. B. agreed to purchase a used county John Deere grader for $31,500.
Also, magistrates agreed to sell the county’s old Fiat-Allis grader as surplus property.
