Murfreesboro Diamond

Council approves new policies and procedures for fire department April 16, 2008 - No reporter cited

By Dottie Turner
Reporter

The Murfreesboro City Council held its regular board meeting Monday night with several items on the agenda.

Murfreesboro Fire Chief Alan Walls told the council about the need to implement new policies and procedures for the Murfreesboro Fire Department due to the fact that there is no record of anything ever being put into writing as a guideline for the firemen to go by.

Walls stated that these are general rules regarding training, and mainly deal with safety issues.

All new firemen will be required to take the 40 hour first responder training course.  The fire department is called out for more than house fires and the department needs to have the training to respond to different situations that may arise.  The first responder training course is minimum training for firemen.  Walls told the council he will work on more specific rules for the fire department and hopes to have them in place soon to enable the department to be safer and more efficient in their work.  The bylaws were unanimously accepted by the board.

There was also discussion regarding selling memberships to individuals who reside outside of the city limits and about how other towns in the area handled selling the memberships.  The membership drive is needed due to expenses not covered by Act 833 funds.

If a citizen becomes a member, and has a fire, the cost would only be what the insurance covers.  The cost of membership will be comparable with surrounding towns and would be approximately $40 a month.

The board tabled the issue of membership until next month’s meeting.

Walls also brought up the issue of a brush truck, which the city is in the second phase of applying for a grant to help finance the purchase.  First National Bank of Murfreesboro gave the low bid to finance the brush truck and was accepted unanimously.  The city will wait seven days to see if they are awarded the grant before going forward with the purchase.

In other council business:  Bids for the patrol car were tabled until May 12.

The matter of the pending lawsuit that has been filed against the city and the Morphew family by Randy and Donna Riddle of D & R Marine was discussed.  Mayor O’Neal said, “The City Attorney, Jana Bradford, will ask for a hearing on the motion to dismiss.”

The subject of weather sirens was once again brought up.  Alderwoman Jean Owens asked if our sirens were in working order.  When told that they were she suggested that they should be tested, with several members agreeing.  Mayor O’Neal said he would get in touch with the Pike Co. Sheriff’s Office, as they are the ones who conduct the tests.

The main problem with the sirens is that they are old and cannot be heard in all parts of the town.  Mayor O’Neal has been in touch with Karen Barlow who is over West Central and she told him that by waiting a few months there could be FEMA funds available for the city’s use for the emergency system. 

The board decided to wait on opening the bids that had been received for updating the system until knowing about the FEMA funds. 

They also decided to test the sirens that the city has available on Wednesdays at noon.

Discussion regarding the Murfreesboro Beautification Account being used to purchase approximately 50 to 55 new flags to replace flags that are worn or torn was held and the council passed a motion to purchase new flags.

Mayor O’Neal requested that Brian Holcomb, who worked in the summer position last year, be rehired for the job again this summer.  The motion passed unanimously.

The board approved Raymond Walls for another three year term on the Water Commission.

Mayor O’Neal stated that the Annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet will be held at the Senior Citizen’s Center on Thursday, April 24th.  He asked that everyone be supportive of the Chamber and the Sr. Citizens.

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