VIDEO: Concerns over title transfers and insurance lead the City of Howardwick to file a lawsuit against the volunteer fire department that protects it.
In a recent lawsuit, the City of Howardwick contends a former city secretary improperly transferred the titles of three fire trucks and an ambulance to the Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department instead of to the city.
After filing the suit, the city obtained a temporary restraining order to prevent the department from using the fire trucks, saying the vehicles could not be insured through the city without the titles.
The city and volunteer fire department reached an agreement: The temporary restraining order would continue until the department obtained insurance on the fire trucks and provided proof to the city.
The fire department has since obtained the insurance, so firefighters can use the vehicles... but more issues could arise.
That’s because the lawsuit is seeking punitive damages against the department, sufficient to punish it and prevent this from happening again