REDFIELD — Three representatives of Redfield area volunteer firemen and Alderman Darrell Hedden are scheduled to meet Monday in an effort to resolve differences over a proposed ordinance involving firemen, Fire Chief Dennis McFatridge told The Progress.
Hedden, who offered the proposed ordinance before the Redfield City Council last week, said a number of municipal ordinances that have been on the books for decades and must be reviewed to determine if they still comply with current state and federal mandates.
McFatridge said members of the Redfield Volunteer Fire Department and Redfield Volunteer Fire Association were not consulted on the proposed change and are opposed to Hedden’s proposal in its current form.
More than three dozen volunteer firemen and their supporters stood for more than three hours April 3 at City Hall to demonstrate their support for the departments, voicing opposition to Hedden’s proposal.
The proposed ordinance was placed on first reading last week and if it follows normal procedure will be up for the second of three required readings next month.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Under Hedden’s proposal, the chief of the Redfield Volunteer Fire Department “shall be appointed” by the mayor with the approval of a majority of the city’s aldermen, as required by state law.
The Redfield area is served by two volunteer firefighting organizations and McFatridge was elected chief of both groups. “While we are separate, we work as one team,” he said Monday.
McFatridge said the Redfield volunteer organization can trace its roots to 1973 when a woman’s auxiliary was formed to fight fires. The organization was later dissolved several years and “men were allowed to become volunteers.” The volunteer department was established in 1977 by ordinance.
The 1977 ordinance called for the chief of the Redfield volunteer department to be appointed by the city council, with the chief responsible for equipment, control and management of the department.
An ordinance adopted in May 1987 noted the Redfield volunteer department had been assisted “for many years” by members of the “Redfield Rural Volunteer Fire Association,” adding aldermen wished “to continue having the functions of the Redfield Volunteer Fire Department performed by the members of the Redfield Rural Volunteer Fire Association.” Some references to the latter often drop the word “rural” and the most common use is “association” instead of “department.”
The volunteer department has a station on city property just west of City Hall, while the non-profit association has stations on Arkansas 365 north of Redfield and one in the Jefferson community. The association was established to provide firefighting resources for a large unincorporated area of northern Jefferson County.
McFatridge said more volunteers with the association who live outside Redfield will turn out to fight fires in Redfield than local residents, describing the working relationship “as a kind of marriage.”
Of the 33 volunteer firefighters, McFatridge said nine reside in Redfield and 24 in the unincorporated areas around Redfield. Nine of the 33 are emergency medical technicians, he said the records indicate, six qualify as first responders and one is a registered nurse.
The 1987 ordinance also required that municipal funds appropriated by the city for the Redfield Volunteer Fire Department remain segregated from the association’s monies, with the treasurer of the association serving as treasurer of the municipal volunteer department.
It might be confusing to many residents outside the area, “but it works,” McFatridge said Monday. The funds are still separated as required by the ordinance.
McFatridge contends the volunteer firemen should have been consulted before any changes were considered, adding he hopes the legal counsels for the city and association can join the discussion.
“We agree the 1977 ordinance might need some tweaking,” but some of us can’t agree with his (Hedden’s) proposal, added McFatridge.
Hedden had said he would meet with McFatridge “one-on-one” to consider any changes in the department’s procedures, but McFatridge said the volunteers don’t function that way and plan have three present.
Aldermen tabled action on two proposed ordinances last week, including one to authorize the Redfield Volunteer Fire Department to respond to medical emergencies, fight fires and operate beyond the corporate limits of Redfield.
In other action on April 3, Redfield aldermen:
– Repealed the ordinance adopting the 2012 municipal budget, and then by an identical 5-1 vote adopted the same budget by resolution. Alderman Sandra Garrett voted “no” on both measures.
– Placed on first reading a proposed ordinance establishing agenda requirements for council meetings.
– Recognized Diann Smith, chairman of the Redfield Parks Commission, for being honored as “Professional of the Year” by the Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association for her volunteer efforts.