The following letter was made available to Home in Henderson by an anonymous source.
It’s authenticity has been verified by HiH‘s editorial staff.
The letter is an email from Vance County Commissioner Scott Hughes to Henderson City Council member Garry Daeke. It concerns the county’s recent decision to terminate the fire contract between the city and the county in favor of creating a county fire chief position.
The county’s decision to terminate the contract was based on a recommendation done in a fire/EMS study commissioned by the county nearly two years ago.
The letter has been edited by HiH for purposes of formatting only.
Garry,
I don’t have any of the other council members email addresses so if you see fit you can forward this to them.
In reading the Dispatch, I have great concern about the city’s intent when it comes to the fire departments. As you are aware, my background is in the fire and EMS service and I am a former employee of Vance County. In addition, I talk almost on a daily basis with employees and volunteers from various departments. A few years ago, the county commissioned a study of our fire and EMS system. As a result of the study, the top recommendation was to change the way the system is administered and hire a county fire chief.
Ms. Evans made our April meeting seem as if we just all of a sudden decided to terminate a contract when we have been discussing this for two years. It was voted on and passed and it upsets me that we even need to spend time to look at it again. I am a city resident but a county commissioner and as such I have to keep the best interest of the county residents, employees, and volunteers in mind and I am sure that this is a step in the right direction. There was no intent on harming the city when I voted for this change.
I wish that communication between both local governments could be by meeting and not by utilizing the Dispatch. Also, I keep reading how the city wants to work with the county. I remember hearing that during the election that unseated several of your constituents. “We will work more closely with the county.” I’m on the intergovernmental committee and the fact is that we haven’t met since the last election almost two years ago. Prior to that election, the intergovernmental committee met monthly and we had a few meetings with both the council and board of commissioners. Now the newspaper makes it sound like the county is just keeping clear of the city when the city was the governing body that stopped meeting with the county.
I intend on asking the questions once there is a meeting between our two boards. Why has it taken this long and why now? I understand that these are terrible financial times and I know that we need to all work together. However I don’t think that the county should harm any chance of better serving our citizens when it comes to public safety and the way that it has been done now for decades is both outdated and wrong.
Personally, I think that the city needs to keep the 60,000 for EDC and still request a seat on the board. I feel strongly that the county would allow the city a seat and input without having to be paid to do so. That would help make up for the revenue lost to the termination of the fire department administration agreement. I will be fair and open minded. If each member of the city council will take the fire study that was done, read the entire report, and then still say that it isn’t in the best interest of the county to have a separate administration, I will consider reevaluating my position.
In no means is this a personal attack or meant to be just communicated to you. Like I previously said, this is for the entire council and I trust that you will forward this to them. Thank you in advance and thank you for all of your hard work and cooperation with the county and its citizens. Lastly, let me remind you that this is my own opinion and isn’t in any way a reflection of the entire board.
Sincerely,
Scott Hughes