Official criticizes fire service transition

BEAUFORT - The July 1 transition of the Salter Path Fire Department to a municipal department hasn't been a quiet one.

The Carteret County Board of Commissioners recently released nearly $80,000 to the department to cover its operations for the remainder of the fiscal year, but one commissioner withheld his support because of the way the department transition to the Town of Indian Beach was handled.

Commissioner Wade Nelms said during the board's June 16 meeting that there was a lot of misinformation provided to commissioners and the county Fire and EMS commission. He called the move a "hostile takeover" and said he didn't feel the county should release money to be turned over to the town.

"I realize due to the contact we have, there's not a lot we can do about it, but I'm going to vote against this motion," Nelms said. "Indian Beach stole a fire department from the citizens of Carteret County who were in the county district and that's the way I see it and I will not support this motion."

Commissioner Greg Lewis said he understood Nelms' concerns about the matter but the department, which covers the Salter Path area of the county as well as the municipal limit of Indian Beach, still has to have funds to pay its bills.

The county approved a 3-cent fire tax rate for the Salter Path Fire Department for the current year and put revenues generated from one cent of that amount in a reserve fund.

Fire Chief Donald Melby said it was recommended that the department deplete its fund balance before assets were merged with the Town of Indian Beach and the department doesn't expect to have enough revenue to cover expenses before the next fiscal year begins.

The department requested approximately $80,000 from the reserve fund.

"We did not budget $80,000 to go into a reserve fund," Melby said. "My budget was approved at the (three-cent) amount. My budget was approved to meet that operating budget and then one penny of it was moved to a reserve fund. We've been very frugal, very thrifty. We've come under budget substantially, but it will take me another $53,341 to finish out until June 30."

Melby said after factoring in expected revenues, he expects the department to be over budget about $33,854.

In addition to operation funds, he said the department also plans to pay off the loan on one of its trucks, which is nearly $47,000.

The Board of Commissioners voted 5-1 to release $78,309 to the fire department. Nelms opposed the motion and Commissioner Tom Steepy was absent.

Contact Carteret County reporter Jannette Pippin at jpippin@freedomenc.com or 252-808-2275. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.