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16 <br /> Ricky Baker, Chief of the Orange Grove Fire Department, said they currently have an ISO <br /> rating of 5. He said lowering it will likely not decrease insurance premiums to homeowners, so <br /> they are trying to maintain the rating. He said they want to decrease response time for calls in <br /> the area. He said their call volume has increased drastically, especially medical response calls. He <br /> said they increase staff during the daytime when many of their volunteer personnel are working. <br /> He said they do not have any places for staff to sleep in any of their three stations. He said they <br /> are trying to prepare for the future when they might need to staff stations 24 hours. He said the <br /> bulk of their personnel are volunteers, but the number of volunteers is decreasing. He said at <br /> some point they will have to find a new way of providing services. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked if there is additional work planned for Station 1. <br /> Ricky Baker said there are needs in the other facilities, but it's not currently planned. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked if they plan to staff Stations 1 and 2 at the same time. <br /> Ricky Baker said yes, during peak times. He said it will be contingent on the budget. He <br /> said the decision will be driven by call volumes. He said they are currently experiencing the most <br /> population growth in their fire district, but they are seeing fewer volunteers. <br /> PUBLIC COMMENTS: <br /> Susan Walser asked the Board to delay approving the loan to Orange Grove Fire <br /> Department. She said many community members were unaware of the project and described <br /> the lack of information on social media or at community events. She said no project details were <br /> shared at the July annual meeting notice or at the community breakfast. She said she requested <br /> the department's bylaws and said there was no active permit application with the planning <br /> department. <br /> Commissioner McKee explained that he had originally requested the item be pulled from <br /> the consent agenda at the prior meeting. He said his concern was not with the fire department's <br /> needs but with the precedent being set, as this would be the first time Orange County had made <br /> a loan of this kind to a fire district under county auspices. He said he had already been approached <br /> by another department inquiring about similar financing, which confirmed his concern about <br /> unintended consequences. He said he understands the need for the service and project, but it <br /> should have been a policy discussion first. <br /> Commissioner Bedford aid she appreciated the additional information and recognized the <br /> difficult position volunteer fire departments find themselves in. She supported loaning the funds <br /> to Orange Grove Fire Department. She asked Gary Donaldson for more detail on previous <br /> requests for fire trucks, ambulances, or other equipment. <br /> Gary Donaldson said there is another mechanism under federal statutes for fire <br /> departments that are borrowing funds, but it must be approved by the Board. He said that the <br /> fire district would likely receive a lower interest rate by borrowing under the county's credit <br /> worthiness. <br /> Commissioner Bedford thanked Commissioner McKee for clarifying the change in the <br /> process. She said it gets the fire district the best interest rate. She said she was prepared to <br /> support the motion and offered to attend Orange Grove Fire Department meetings as the <br /> commissioner liaison. She urged community members who wanted more engagement with the <br />