Ringgold leaders are preparing to provide fire protection services in the event a county consolidation plan fails.

Catoosa County commissioners have proposed combining Catoosa County Fire & Rescue and Post Volunteer Fire Department and a fire committee formed recently to look at that possibility.

Ringgold Council unanimously agreed Monday night to take an inventory of all fire equipment the city owns and study options for its own fire station.

Currently Catoosa Fire & Rescue covers Ringgold with Ringgold contributing financially to the county for the service.

Vice Mayor Bill McMillon said the city’s foresight has helped it control its own destiny for years.

“The purpose is not to scrutinize or try to place the county in a defensive climate,” he said. “We are elected to represent, protect and make the best decisions humanly possible for our citizens. This includes improving their quality of life, whether it is sewers, water, trash, pickup, recreation, police or fire protection, for the lowest tax dollar and cost to them.”

Councilman Terry Crawford, a volunteer fireman for decades, said when he started it was about neighbor helping neighbor and that is still at the core but there is so much more to what volunteers do today.

“We just want to protect our citizens, take care of property, protect lives and do it the best way we can,” he said.

At its council meeting, in addition from comments from several council members, Commissioner Dewayne Hill, who chairs the county’s new Fire Resource Committee, addressed the council, as did two volunteer firefighters, Catoosa Fire Chief Chuck Gass and a couple members of the public.

Commissioner Hill said he applauded Ringgold for the stand it’s taking to prepare for the future.

“It will be sad if we cannot get this worked out,” he said. “I think through this committee we can get to a workable solution.

Hill said he is relying heavily on the fire professionals on the committee to bring the process forward.

“I hope you and the guys on the committee give us a chance,” he said.

Hill said he does support consolidation and the hiring of an emergency management director.

“Do we have to hire him right now? No. Next month? No,” he said.

He said the committee should have a meeting next week.

Gass said the key issue with many of the volunteers at present is trust of county leadership.

“The county and the city are at the mercy of the volunteers,” Gass said. “We can’t afford to pay for the services the volunteers provide.

“If the volunteers feel like they are not being treated fairly, they are going to go home or go somewhere else,” he said.

Gass said the current committee is a good step in moving the process forward but the volunteers have their own ideas of what they want to do. He stressed he or the volunteers are not asking the city to build a new fire hall.

“I would feel badly about leaving the county unprotected,” he said. “It is good for the city to plan. If it comes to the point that these guys leave it does not affect only the county, it affects the city.”

Volunteer John Amis, an 18-year-member, said the credibility has been shaken by the actions of county leaders the last few weeks and the key for the volunteers is their leadership.

“We are behind Chuck (Gass),” he said. “That is all we have to cling to. I don’t want to stay home. I consider it a civic duty. We want to do what is best for the county and the city.”

Amis said he hopes it works out to an equitable solution.

Volunteer Gene Bishop, a 23-year-member, said the action the county has taken is like coming in and breaking up a family. Bishop came to the city a couple weeks earlier asking it to be open to a proposal from the volunteers in future.

“We (firefighters) are a brotherhood,” he said.

He asked the city to be prepared for whatever its volunteers may decide to do.

Mayor Joe Barger said he will do whatever he can to help the volunteers.

Ringgold resident Nancy Powell recalled the 1954 loss of Ringgold Elementary School to fire, and said the city needs to make every effort to keep the level of service the community now has in place.

In other business Monday, Aug. 13, at Ringgold City Hall, Ringgold City Council voted unanimously to:

* Deny a request by Vernon Teems to rezone property off Tennessee Street to build and sell townhouses.

* Approve a request by William and Evelyn Helms, Lee Tubbs and Marilyn Helms for annexation and zoning of C-2, commercial, for property at U.S. 41, north of Chapman Road.

* Approve the following changes to the Little General Family and Children’s Park: Reduce the Grand Pavilion by 10 feet; award of playground equipment bid of $59,548; approve removal of boulders; purchase and use of pre-cast stone on utility room and restrooms at site.

* Approve preparation of ground for addition of new day lilies at railroad underpass this fall.

* Approve advertising for purchase of two-ton flat bed 4X4 truck.

* Approve advertising for auto-load garbage truck.

* Approve acceptance of Local Assistance Grant for $10,000 for General Cleburne statue after review by city attorney.

* Approve acceptance of Local Assistance Grant for $10,000 for railroad viewing platform after review by city attorney.

* Delay authorization letter to Georgia Department of Corrections requesting mobile construction crew to build viewing platform when they finish the park.

* Approve authorizing an annual boot reimbursement to street department employees

* Approve making request to Catoosa County Public Works Authority management for sewer project construction to be turned over to city of Ringgold due to delays in process.

* Approve proceeding with Joint Solid Waste Comprehensive Plan update with Catoosa County and Fort Oglethorpe.

* Approve preliminary request for city website design models from Spin Concepts.

* Delay approval of specifics for Veteran’s Day proposed event

* Approve addition of full-time employee to the police department and creation of detective position to be filled internally.

* Approve purchase of $2,500 for software, computer and color printer for Adobe Creative Suite design programs

* Assign completion of signage for Nature Trail to city manager.

* Approve proceeding with pressure washing, wood replacement, gutter repairs and painting at City Hall.

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