RISON - A representative of the Glendale Volunteer Fire Department approached the Cleveland County Quorum Court during its regular monthly meeting Monday night about what it would take for his department to get a share of the county’s Act 833 money since it provides fire protection for residents in northeast Cleveland County.Act 833 of 1991 dedicates a portion of fire insurance premium tax (“turnback”) to a State Fire Protection Services Program that is distributed to counties and then to qualified fire departments, including volunteer departments.Alex Powell with the Glendale Fire Department, which is based in the Lincoln County community of Glendale, told the quorum court that the fire department’s coverage area includes about 30 square miles of northeast Cleveland County, mostly around the New Home community along Hwy. 54. He said there are 116 water meters (households) in Cleveland County that are within their coverage area.Of the 34 fire calls the Glendale Fire Department responded to last year, Powell said 11 (about 32 percent) were in Cleveland County.During the course of the discussion, some of the justices of the peace brought up that the county divides its share of Act 833 money based on fire stations located within the county rather than the coverage area.Justice Ricky Neal of Kingsland pointed out there was similar situation that developed years ago with the County Line Fire Department south of the New Edinburg. While the County Line fire station was in Bradley County, it provided fire protection for households in Cleveland County as well. Neal said the solution there was that County Line agreed to put a substation in Cleveland County, which then made it eligible for a share of the Act 833 money.Powell said his parents have a shop building located on the Cleveland County side of Feennyville Road where he could place a pumper truck and brush truck there to serve as a substation for Glendale.While...
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