Commission Fired Up Over $5K Fire Department Fair Bill

By Misty Green

At the August 21st gathering of the Macon County Commissioners, the topic of the recent Fair was brought up by District #8 Commissioner Bobby Ray King, who was inquiring about the gross outcome for this year’s carnival, to see if it had grown from the previous year.

Although the grand totals are still being calculated, simply mentioning the Fair prompted District #7 Commissioner Jeff Hughes to have something he needed to say.

Asked by District #4 Commissioner Billy Wilmore to expound further on that statement he received, Hughes said, “We got a bill from the fire department, $5,179, to come out to the fair and have a good time, and never done nothing.”

“What? Why?”, Willmore asked. 

“Just being out there I reckon,” Hughes replied, “and I want everybody to know that.” “This is the County’s Fair… It’s for everybody.”

“I’m going to pull those out,” Mayor Jones stated.

“They are charging us now for the time that everybody’s on the scene. They are the Fire Department and have to pay their people,” Mayor Jones said, “Plus they are going out into the county and they are a city fire department. They are charging us now for each fire call they go on.”

“They weren’t called,” was heard among the governing body. “We don’t have to have them out there,” Hughes stated.

“Some people say it is the city limits, some say it’s in the county, so I guess it depends on who you talk to.”

“We have approved to pay for fire services going forward, so that would be null and void.”

“I don’t agree with the Fair on that,” Mayor Jones said. “I think that is in the city to start with,” he added.

Being unsure of the actual boundary line, Mayor Jones motioned to city employee and District #9 Commissioner Jarhea Wilmore, who answered, “I couldn’t tell you. I have no idea.”

“I know the police department is the one doing it… Sheriff, do you know?” Mayor Jones asked.

“To the best of my knowledge,” Macon County Sheriff Joey Wilburn said, “the county/city line goes right through… So where the carnival is, it’s the county property, but where the derby and truck pull is, that’s in the city.”

“The line goes through half of that drive,” Mayor Jones said,  “because when ya’ll paved it, the county paid for their portion and the city paid for their portion, so you are right, the line goes back through there,” Jones added. “But most of that property is in the city, so I will talk with them, and see if they can take that off,” Jones stated.