Bethel Volunteer Fire Department leaders ask York County Council either to keep local fire service control with volunteers, or let them know otherwise so they can start making plans.
Volunteers say if Council doesn’t respond by Oct. 18 to their request to suspend the hiring process for a new paid chief, the department will assume the county is discontinuing its longstanding agreement with them for fire protection in Lake Wylie beginning next year.
“I don’t think anyone knew, or believed, the ordinance used to govern the fire tax board as written, gave the same control to two entities,” said Perry Johnston, volunteer and department board member and former councilman. “This Council needs to decide who should be given operational control of our fire district.”