Canton Approves Fire Consolidation With Cherokee

CANTON, GA -- 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the Canton Fire Department.

It could also be the last year the agency will serve city residents.

That's because the Canton City Council on Thursday voted to approve a recommendation by its Fire Services Committee to consolidate with Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services.

The deal still has to be approved by the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners, a move that's expected to occur at the board's Sept. 6 meeting.

The decision came nearly two hours of debate among city leaders and a few comments from the public. At least a dozen Canton firefighters, including Chief Dean Floyd, sat quietly in the back of the Council Chambers while the elected officials and appointed staff members hashed out the details.

Canton residents should see about $6 million in savings over the next six years, according to projections provided by city staff members.

City Manager Billy Peppers encouraged the Council to approve the agreement Thursday evening, as the city and the county wanted to move forward as early as possible so they can begin finalizing personnel issues such as any possible retirements that may result from the move.

Additionally, Peppers said he had the chance to sit down with about 30 firefighters face-to-face and the general consensus among those public servants is they just want an answer from city leaders about their future. He also said the city was cutting it close when it came to the deadline on whether to proceed with the new fire station near the entrance of the Laurel Canyon subdivision.

The city manager expressed confidence in the city's position in the agreement, and Cherokee's intention.

“I expect that the county is going to do right as part of this agreement because they want it to be successful too," he said.

According to the 50-year agreement, Canton would:

• Pay the county the amount that equals the county's 3.374 fire district millage rate. Residents receiving the senior exemption would be exempt from the rate.
• Pay Cherokee County $1.25 million towards the design and construction costs of the fire station in the Laurel Canyon-Great Sky area within 30 days of the date in which the agreement goes into effect. All funds held in fire impact fees and SPLOST collected for fire services and facilities shall be used first toward the project followed by a transfer of general funds to settle the balance.
• Provide written notice at least 90 days of any proposed changes in its ordinances, laws or regulations when those changes could impact the delivery of fire services or would increase or change the level of services.
• Continue to collect its fire development impact fees, which would be transferred to the county immediately upon the city’s collection of such impact fees.
• Agree that the training levels, experience and certification requirements for personnel and equipment shall be established by the Cherokee County fire chief and/or his designee.
• Retain ownership of Fire Station No. 16 (known as the downtown station) at 190 West Main Street and use a portion of that station for administrative services. Canton would also agree to lease the remaining space to Cherokee County for fire services.
• Transfer ownership of the vacant land earmarked for a city fire station in the Bluffs to the county. The ownership would revert back to the city if Cherokee County opts not to use the site for a fire station in the future.
• Transfer ownership of the South Canton Fire Station at 2731 Marietta Highway to the county. If the county determines to dispose of this site in the future, Canton shall be provided a right of first refusal to purchase the station.

In turn, Cherokee County will perform the following:

• Starting Jan. 1, 2017, initiate provision of the services, including but not limited to responding to all emergency fire, hazardous material, and lifesaving related alarms within the Canton Service Area, and providing pre-fire planning, fire investigations, hydrant flow, community services and such other usual and customary services as are provided by Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services within the county related to fire and emergency services, with the exception of those services that will continue to be provided by the city’s fire marshal and fire inspector for purposes of conducting fire code inspections, fire pre-construction building plan review and approvals and water flow testing.
• Cherokee County would not assume any supervisory authority or involvement in any way with fire marshal services provided by the Canton fire marshal and fire inspector or any other city employee who provides these services.
• Ensure an ambulance squad is assigned and deployed from the future Laurel Canyon/Great Sky station and from the future S.R. 140 (Hickory Flat Highway) area fire station under construction to respond to advance life support calls.
• Build the Laurel Canyon/Great Sky Station to replace Fire Station No. 9, as planned in the 2012 SPLOST Program. Cherokee County will transfer staffing and equipment from the current Fire Station No. 9 to the station in the Laurel Canyon/Great Sky area. The county's goal is to complete construction of the Laurel Canyon/Great Sky station in 2017.
• Once it completes its new fire station in the Hickory Flat Highway area to replace Fire Station No. 3, the county would transfer staffing from the current facility to the new structure. Cherokee hopes to complete construction on the station this year.
• Transfer ownership of roughly 45.12 acres of land at Old Doss Lane along the Etowah River to Canton for future park/greenspace/trail use.
• Transfer ownership of the Jones Building to the city of Canton.

The agreement initially called for Canton to make renovations to the Jones Building to allow for Cherokee Arts Center operations to move into the facility. However, a push by City Council member Sandy McGrew to take that out of the intergovernmental agreement was approved by the council, as it did not belong in the agreement, she added.

City Council member Jo Ellen Wilson, who said she was in favor of consolidation, also pushed for the city to delay voting on the matter until Tuesday morning to give the public time to provide input and learn more about the deal. That measure offered in the form of a motion was defeated by Wilson's colleagues.

While there were considerable number of people who attended Thursday's meeting, only four spoke about fire consolidation: residents Dennis Burnette and Thomas Weaver and former City Council members Pat Tanner and Hooky Huffman.

Weaver expressed caution about the proposal, stating the point of operating as a city is to have control over municipal services. Burnette stated said he supported consolidation with the county, and he wanted to see the city do what's best for taxpayers.

Huffman said new cities that have incorporated in the last decade -- namely Sandy Springs, Milton and Johns Creek -- have all established their own fire departments. He also chastised Mayor Gene Hobgood for his persistent push for consolidation.

"Mr. Mayor you have been wanting this for a long time," he added. "Now you got a council that’s more favorable to your direction.”

Huffman said he was proud to be a Canton resident, but said the city should be willing and able to conduct its own business. On the 100th anniversary of the founding of the fire department, Huffman said city leaders are now looking to "give it away."

The Canton Fire Department was established in 1916, making it the oldest in the county. According to the city of Woodstock's website, the first recorded volunteer fire department in that city was founded in 1947.

The agency has 36 fire personnel, including inspectors, said city spokesperson Angela Thompson.

Unincorporated Cherokee County has had a few long-running volunteer fire stations over the last several decades, but didn't implement a fire district tax to pay for services until the early 1990s.

Tanner reminded the audience and the Council that she has been "passionate and emotional" about the Canton Fire Department and remains opposed to consolidating with Cherokee. She asked the council to allow for additional public input.

She also said she was "fearful" that the city of Canton was losing its independence and would become "the city of Cherokee." Tanner concluded that "there is no turning back" once the city signs on the dotted line to hand over its department.

Council member Bill Grant said the city had a choice to make: whether to make a decision based on pride or whether to make a "business decision and act in best interest of all taxpayers." The time has come for Canton to make a decision on the subject of consolidation, act in the best interest of residents and provide the highest level of service at the lowest cost, Grant stated.

The agreement also calls for Canton transferring to the county ownership of all firefighting equipment, apparatus, fire stations and land earmarked for fire stations, which equipment and property is owned by the city. Additionally, all existing Canton Fire Department personnel will become county employees.

Canton's fire marshal, fire administrative assistant and fire inspector would remain city employees, however. Existing city personnel seniority (for both total years of service and years within their rank) will transfer to the county for position and promotion purposes, the agreement notes.

Dean Floyd, Canton's current fire chief, would become a county employee and member of the Cherokee County Fire Chief Tim Prather's executive staff. He would serve as division level chief, and Floyd (or a designee selected by Prather) would serve as a liaison with Canton city leadership. Floyd's seniority would also be transferred to the county.

Following the Council's vote, Floyd, members of his command staff and the firefighters silently filed out of the Council Chambers. The fire chief declined to provide a statement to Patch about the Council's decision.

Canton firefighters would also have to enter into a probationary period when the merger is complete. Since Cherokee County requires all of its firefighters to also double as EMTs, Peppers said Canton firefighters who are not at that level would be given the chance to obtain that certification.

The probationary period doesn't phase McGrew, as she felt the agency already has "excellent" firefighters.

“I don’t worry about that probation period because you guys are awesome and you’re going to fly through it,” she added.

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