Catoosa County Fire Resource Committee came together Thursday in its first official attempt to start putting out smoldering concerns about the future of fire services in the county.

“We have the right to disagree but in an orderly manner,” Catoosa Commissioner Dewayne Hill told committee members. “…We have to be able to do that to get a little further.”

Hill is chairing the committee which includes Chief Bruce Ballew of Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue, Marlin Thompson, chairman of Post Volunteer Fire Department, Chief Chuck Gass and Deputy Chief Jim White of Catoosa County Fire & Rescue. Alternates also in attendance at the Catoosa Governmental Building were Merv McDonald from Post Volunteer Fire Department and James Dycus from Catoosa Fire & Rescue.

Hill told the committee the volunteers deserve a lot of respect.

“They are very important to us,” he said.

He said the county needs to work to find a happy medium.

Ballew said all parties involved want the same thing: an equitable, cost efficient fire emergency service.

Ballew said the committee will need direction into what the county is looking to do with fire services. Essentially, how do existing organizations fit into the picture?

“We need to know what you really expect,” he said.

At one point, Gass said as a taxpayer he is concerned with the county simply writing checks to Post volunteers and allowing them to spend those funds without keeping control over equipment purchased by the organization.

Ballew said it is not much different than the county paying someone doing paving.

“When he buys a dump truck, does the county own his dump truck?” he asked.

Hill said the county should keep control of all equipment it pays for.

“From the county aspect, we need to be able to follow the money,” he said.

Commissioner Bobby Winters, who attended the meeting, said he did not know if the county needs to hire a new fire chief, now being referred to as emergency management director.

The Board of Commissioners advertised the position a few weeks ago, about three weeks after the fervor started regarding the news the county was considering consolidating Catoosa Fire & Rescue and Post Volunteer. Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue and Post Volunteer Fire Department’s designated coverage area includes Fort Oglethorpe and the west side of the county. Catoosa Fire & Rescue covers Ringgold and the rest of unincorporated Catoosa. The departments often assist one another in fighting fires.

“This thing came out for a new chief,” White said. “It’s like somebody behind the scenes is trying to stir the pot. Where you guys are headed you are fixing to start a budget that’s bigger than the sheriff’s budget.”

McDonald said full-time firefighting services for many communities average $1-1.1 million per station and at least that much or more for administration.

The entire Catoosa County budget for fire services in 2007-08 is $1.8 million of which $1.2 million is dedicated to personnel and benefits, according to Carl Henson, Catoosa County chief financial officer.

Dycus, who has served the county as a volunteer for over 40 years, said the best plan is to get both organizations on the same plan with the county, let the county manager be the supervisor, and let both full-time employees and volunteers report to the existing chiefs.

“(If you go another way) you are going to put the burden on taxpayers that they will never get out from under,” he said.

As discussion ended, committee members planned for another meeting in two weeks where they will review the current inventory of equipment and other topics members might place on the agenda.

“This committee has potential to address problems that now exist or could head off problems before they start,” Hill said.