Aldermen Meet In Brief Session To Approve Fire Truck Resolution

Mayor Larry Hart (right) is illuminated by the early morning sun Tuesday as he talks with Aldermen Bobby Cox (left) and Larry Bell. Also present at the special called board meeting were Aldermen Donald Gray and Phillip Tallant.

By Jack Gurner
Reporter

WATER VALLEY – The Mayor and Aldermen beat by ten seconds their old record for the shortest City Board meeting Tuesday morning.

The special called 8 a.m. meeting was just shy of 50 seconds long. But, that was all the time needed to pass a resolution allowing the City to apply for a Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program grant from the State.

“We’re in the process of gathering up money to try to buy us a fire truck in the next year or so,” Hart told Aldermen.

The hastily called meeting was necessary to beat a Wednesday deadline. “Gotta’ get it in tomorrow,” Hart said.

The 16-year-old program is mainly aimed at rural volunteer fire departments. But, counties also can apply for trucks on behalf of cities with which they have a contract to provide fire protection within a five-mile area of the municipal limits.

“It is an extremely popular program that has not only saved lives and property but also provided the best equipment to our 13,000-plus volunteer firefighters in the state,’ Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said in March.

“In return we have been able to keep insurance rates low and stable in our rural areas,’ he added.

The program provides counties with grants of $50,000 per fire truck for the first six trucks and $70,000 each for next four vehicles.

Department of Insurance figures show the state has invested $31 million in the  program. The money has bought 566 new trucks.