City of Overton deal with VFD resignations, ESD funding

OVERTON, Texas (KLTV) - The Overton City Council and volunteer fire department are working through fallout following recent resignations.

The City of Overton hired Mickey Hamilton to be the new fire chief of the VFD on Dec. 15. The city has turned it into a paid position.

Mayor Curtis Gilbert said Hamilton’s salary has not yet been determined.

“I don’t know at this time,” Gilbert said. “The city manager and he will work that out. Truly, i haven’t interfered with that.”

“He does have 42-and-a-half years of what he put on that form of volunteer firefighter service,” Gilbert said. “He hasn’t certified in everything. He has taken firefighter one and firefighter two. I don’t know whether he is certified in the actual test.”

Gilbert says no other applicants were considered and he believes Hamilton was the best choice.

“It was the city’s choice who to hire and with the qualifications and he lives within the city,” Gilbert said. “And one advantage of having a paid fire chief, he will be in town and local and available.”

But members of the volunteer fire department say this shouldn’t have been the city’s choice according to their bylaws. So nine out of 14 members resigned earlier this week. But as of Wednesday night, eight new members have applied, totalling to 13 members of the VFD. The Rusk County ESD held a meeting with the Overton City Council Thursday to discuss how department funding will work with these changes.

The city council states they have no plans to create a new VFD and that the current VFD will be a self-governing body in addition to the new paid fire chief.

“As ESD, we have no control over that aspect of what the city does,” said ESD President David Burks. “So you know the city can do whatever they want to do, that you know all our concern is that funding from the ESD stays within the fire department.”

The ESD decided to table Thursday’s agenda item for another day in order to discuss with attorneys.

Gilbert says the city council hopes the Rusk County ESD will make the decision to continue to work with the Overton Fire Department.

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