Newton County Board of Supervisors is looking at a potential change to its Rural Fire Protection agreements that would transfer the title for fire trucks to the fire departments after the vehicle was paid off.
The county’s agreements with the 10 fire departments is nearing renewal, and Board Attorney Jason Mangum showed the board the new contract Monday.
“It’s the same as ever,” he said. “The only change is language has been added that would allow us to transfer ownership after the debt has been paid.”
Mangum said legally the board would not be able to transfer any titles for vehicles that the county was still making payments on, however once the truck notes were paid off, the vehicles would become the property of the fire departments.
The Board of Supervisors has weighed turning ownership of fire trucks over to the fire departments to simplify the maintenance and upkeep issues. Although the individual departments have previously been responsible for repairs and maintenance, the county-bought fire trucks are county property.
Supervisor Joe Alexander said he wasn’t opposed to the new language in the Rural Fire Protection agreements; however, he said some language should be added to protect the county’s investment in purchasing the trucks.
While fire trucks cost the county roughly $200,000 a piece, once the title is signed over, there is nothing currently in the agreement keeping a fire department from selling it and demanding the county provide a new truck.
The supervisors said was unlikely any of the county’s fire departments would do something like that but agreed the county’s expectations for the trucks should be stated in the contract.
Mangum said he would amend the contract to address the board’s concerns before the next meeting.
