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MINUTES OF THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS X9'7 Thursday, March 20, 1975 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in Special Session at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 20, 1975 in the Commissioners Room at the Courthouse in Hillsborough. All members were present, Chairman Garrett called the meeting to order and requested Mr. John Klink representing the New Hope Rural Fire Department, to present a resolution requesting the Orange County Board of Commissioners to czeate a County Fire Cortanission. Mr. Rline took the floor, presented the resolution to the $oard of Commissioners, and introduced Mr. Jerry Grimes from the North Carolina Department of Insurance, who would review the resolution and answer questions posed from the floor or from. the Board of Commissioners. Mr. Grimes started by saying this resolution was designed in order that protection might be extended to members of the almost one thousand volunteer fire companies that serve in North Carolina today. With the adoption of this resolution and its implementation, a Volunteer Fire Company in Orangge Gounty might become rated and thus achieve far its members certain life insurance and workmens compensation benefits afforded by the State to rated • Volunteer Fire Companies. A lengthy question and answer session followed in which members of the Volunteer Fire Department were able to get answers to some of the questions they posed concerning policies of the North Carolina Fire Insurance Rating Bureau about department ratings, the moving of equipment from a rated area.ty a non-rated area, what would be the actual authority of the County Fire Commission and was it mandatory Eor a department to cooperate with the County Fire Commission. Several persons from the audience brought up questions concerning specific provisions of the resolution itself. At the conclusion of the question and answer session, Chairman Garrett asked each Volunteer Fire Department to signify its assent or opposition m the proposed resolution. Mr. Chandler Cates, Chief of the Hillsborough Department, stated he felt this resolution or one of this sort was necessary, Representatives of the Eno Fire Department stated they would go along with the proposed resolution. Representatives of the Efland Rural Fire Department stated they would gp aing with the resolution, however, they had some misgivings about this action. The Orange Grove Rural Fire Department stated they would agree to County adoption of the proposed resolution but they also had some misgiving about the proposal. Chairman Garrett then asked the'County Association of Fire Chiefs if they would review the resolution and offer any comments they felt necessary. Commissioner Norman Gustaveson moved the adoption of the following resolution; "RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ORANGE COUNTY PROVIDING FOR THE ES- TABLISHMENT OF THE ORANGE COUNTY. FIRE COMMISSION AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR RATING REQUIREMENTS AS SET BY THE N.C. FIRE INSURANCE RATING $UREAU WHEREAS G.S. 153-A-233 empowers a Board of County Commissioners to provide for the organi- zation, equipment, maintenance, and government of fire companies and fire departments, and WHEREAS, the Board of County Cottmtissianers of Orange County is of the opinion and has found and determined that it is for the best interest and necessary for the protection of the citizens of said county and their property (a) to encourange and aid in the equipment, maintenance, and government of fire departments in the county in order that these depart- vther cro erttect public school buildings and other county buildings, as well as homes and organization to work withaandstofsupplementythebOrangesCauntyhCivpl~Defense Organizationg and (c) in general to provide for the more adequate and efficient protection of life and property in the rural areas of Orange County and to provide a trained body of men to assist the urban areas of the county in case of emergency; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Gounty Commissioners of Orange County: .-- Section 1. There is hereby created the Orange County Fire Commmission to be composed of five (5) members as follows: (a) One member of the $oard of County Commissioners of Orange County, to be appointed by the said Board and to be known as the Fire Commissioner; (b) Two active volunteer firemen who shall be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. (c) Two members at large who shall be citizens of Orange County and who shall be appointed by the Board of County Gommissioners. As soon as possible after the adoption of this resolution, the Board of County Commissioners ~a11 a point the members of the Fire Commission. These members will serve for the terms of ~' ane (1) year. The Fire Coaanissioner shall be the chairman of the commission, and the commission shall choose its own secretary,