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ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: September 18, 2012 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 5-i <br /> SUBJECT: Trustee Appointments to the Orange New Hope Firemen's Local Relief Fund <br /> Board <br /> DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Request Letter from New Hope Fire Chief David Sykes, 919-245-6125 <br /> F. R. Montes de Oca, 919-245-6140 <br /> PURPOSE: To appoint two (2) Trustees to the Orange New Hope Firemen's Local Relief Fund <br /> Board. <br /> BACKGROUND: North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 58 provides for certain benefits to <br /> be provided to firefighters. Rural fire districts serviced by an organized fire department may be <br /> eligible to receive funds to support the local firemen's relief fund. All insurance companies that <br /> write fire insurance premiums in North Carolina finance this program. The monies are <br /> distributed to the State Firemen's Association and local relief fund boards by the North Carolina <br /> Department of Insurance in accordance with N.C. General Statute 58-84-25. Local relief fund <br /> boards are eligible to receive monies derived from fire insurance premiums collected for <br /> respective fire districts. <br /> In each fire district, a five member board of trustees administers the relief fund in accordance <br /> with General Statute 58-84-35. Two trustees are elected by the membership of the fire <br /> department, two trustees are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners upon <br /> recommendation by the fire department, and one trustee is appointed by the North Carolina <br /> Insurance Commissioner based upon a recommendation by the fire chief. The trustees may <br /> make disbursements of local relief fund monies for specified purposes including the following: <br /> • to safeguard firefighters in active service from financial loss caused by sickness or injury <br /> received in the performance of official duties; <br /> • to support the dependents of firefighters who may lose their lives; <br /> • to assist any destitute firefighter who has served for a period of at least five years and <br /> provide insurance benefits for qualified firefighters. <br /> Two members of the Orange New Hope Firemen's Local Relief Fund Board of Trustees can no <br /> longer serve, leaving vacant the two positions that are appointed by the Board of <br /> Commissioners. New Hope Fire Chief Mike Tapp has requested in the attached letter that the <br />