Grants need to start with mayor

Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant, Jr., and several council members said all grant applications for funds to help the town need to come from the mayor's office and not from individual council members.

“We are all elected together as a team,” Bondurant said during Monday afternoon's town council meeting.

Bondurant said he received a call recently from State Rep. Alan Baker asking if anybody had asked him about a grant to purchase air packs for the fire department.

“He asked, 'what kind of council do you have'?,” Bondurant said.

Councilwoman Kay Wagner said she was trying to get a grant to purchase the air packs but was doing so as a citizen of the town.

“We're not going to get a grant unless it comes before this table,” Bondurant said.

Town Attorney Chuck Johns also said anything that's done on behalf of the town has to come before the council.

“I'm going to continue to serve the people,” Wagner said.

“I figured that would fall on deaf ears,” Bondurant said asking if she was trying to be mayor.

Councilman Jim Johnson said he felt is was very important that the council members communicate with the mayor.

“I know for a fact that this man is working on a lot of things for the betterment of the town,” Johnson said.

Councilwoman Lillian Dean and Councilman Charlie Reardon agreed with Johnson.

“Whatever it is, take it to the mayor,” Dean said. “Whether he says yes, no or he'll think about it, it's up to him.”

Reardon also said all town business needs to be brought to the mayor's attention first.

The council also discussed an aging fire truck that Mayor Dewey Bondurant recently said failed a pump test.

Utilities Superintendent Shaun Moye said he had someone look at the pump and said it would work at 90 percent and that the RPMs would have to be increased. Moye also said the truck is primarily used as a backup and the utility department uses it to clean drains and on other projects.

Councilman Johnson asked how much more money was the town going to put into the old truck, noting it was 40 years old. He also noted there is a shortage of parts.

Johnson said it may be time for the town to look for a used truck.

The issue of how the old truck would affect the town's ISO rating, which helps dictate the cost of homeowners' insurance policies.

Johnson said the ISO is not just based on equipment, noting training and other areas carry a lot of weight in the rating.

Councilman Roger Adkinson recommended postponing any action until the council can get all the information it needs, including prices, and bring it back to the table.

“Whatever we do, the fire department wants a new truck,” Bondurant said.

Johnson said the council needed clarification before making any decisions and said the town is blessed with mutual aid from other fire departments close by.

“This is not a new problem,” Adkinson said. “We've been discussing it for months. Why hans't the fire chief brought us figures?”

The council decided to postpone any action about fixing or purchasing a fire truck.