Committee receives updates on emergency services

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Currently the county does not rely on tornado sirens for notifications.

“Sirens work best in clusters or multiples,” said Fire Chief Mark Beeler. “A single siren only alerts a limited number of people in a limited area.”

During inclement weather, checking weather apps, utilizing local television stations and receiving notifications from Hyper-Reach are the best resources for staying safe and being prepared, he said.

An Embridge/Benevity grant totaling $11,800 was awarded to the Hartsville/Trousdale County Fire Department. The grant will fund radio upgrades, gas detection meters, and gated hydrant valves for the department. Painting of the office, hallways, training room and closets has been completed at the station. To continue the efforts, the tile floors will be stripped and rewaxed and carpeted areas will be cleaned.

The fire department has responded to eight structure fires, one vehicle fire, 10 grass fires, four controlled burns, five gas leaks, two public assists, 16 false alarms, six mutual aid calls from Dec. 1, 2024, to April 17.

As part of the 2025-2026 budget request for the fire department and rescue squad, Beeler is requesting a pay increase from $30 a call to $50 a call.

“We requested a pay increase last year and it was a no,” said Beeler. “The pay per call has not increased since 2016.”

The Trousdale County Emergency Services Rescue Division will use a $52,100 state grant for new gear and equipment. The department is currently seeking quotes for these items. The group will apply for additional grant funds to service radios and purchase a new ram.

Three new individuals have applied to volunteer with the rescue division and are in the application process. Uniforms have been ordered for the rescue team and members of the squad will soon train through Swiftwater.

Staffing issues continue to plague the sheriff’s department. Higher rates of pay in surrounding counties have caused a turnover in the department as employees seek to further their careers in counties that offer better pay and benefits. Sheriff Ray Russell said he is going to request a 10% pay increase for law enforcement employees in his 2025-2026 budget.

“You can walk into Sumner County as a correctional officer and start out at $25 an hour,” said Russell. “We are starting our correctional officers at $16.68.”

The sheriff discussed the hidden costs of processing inmates from Trousdale Turner when they commit crimes within the facility and holding prisoners for other facilities when they are wanted in other areas of the state or even in different states.

The sheriff noted an example of an inmate they picked up for the State of Illinois last month. Once in custody of Trousdale County, the inmate had a seizure and was transported to the hospital for care. Trousdale County has received a bill of $6,000 for the care provided to the inmate.

“When the inmate was picked up by Illinois, I sent a copy of the bill with them,” said Russell. “They really don’t have to pay it. It may come back to us to pay even though this inmate is one we don’t even have charges on. They are just a fugitive from justice.”

Deputy Chief Cothron presented departmental statistics from March 28 to April 28. The department has worked 10 crashes and issued 72 citations, booked 44 people into jail and released 50 people. The dispatch has logged 1,422 complaint cards.

“To highlight some calls our deputies have responded to, there were 33 animal at large calls, and we provided escort for 10 Tennessee Department of Corrections prisoner transports,” said Cothron. “We’ve assisted people locked out of their homes or vehicles 18 times and inspected school doors 153 times.”

In other business, Brian Crook, 8th District Commissioner and Trousdale County Sheriff’s Deputy, took exception to a proposed change regarding overtime calculations for county employees, notably law enforcement.

Under the current language, employees must work 40 hours before overtime takes effect. The policy goes on to state “that vacation, sick and personal time off will not count as time worked for overtime. Only holiday, administrative leave and military leave will count as time worked.” The new proposed language reads, “regular employees must work 40 hours a week before overtime takes effect. Law Enforcement employees must work 86 hours in a pay period before overtime takes effect. Vacation, sick leave, administrative leave, or holidays will not count as time worked for overtime calculations. Only military leave will count as time worked.”

The proposed language removes holiday and administrative leave from being counted as time worked in overtime calculations. Per the minutes from March 4, 2025, Personnel Committee meeting, law enforcement employees are calculated on an 86-hour pay period that is state-mandated for overtime. All members of the personnel committee, except for Shane Burton, voted to approve the change. The change has not come before the full commission.

Crook noted that this issue was voted on in August 2024 by the full commission and did not pass and that for years this has been touted as a benefit to Trousdale County employees and served as an incentive to work for the county.

“I just want every commissioner to know and go look at this, because this is wrong,” said Crook. “It’s wrong in every way.”

“I agree with Mr. Crook one hundred% on this one,” said Chris Gregory, District 7 Commissioner. “I don’t see that it’s worth, taking this away from our employees. The ill will that it will generate, we will lose people over this. We’ve just sat here and heard Sheriff Russell say he’s already having a hard time keeping staff. Mr. Batey mentioned he’s looking at similar situations. Whenever it comes before the whole commission, I know I’m not going to vote for it.”

Due to the Memorial Day holiday, the next meeting of the First Response Services Committee will be Tuesday, May 27 at the Hartsville-Trousdale County Courthouse, 200 E. Main St.