TIMMONSVILLE — Many Timmonsville firefighters quit during Tuesday night’s council meeting, saying they haven’t been paid for their services as promised in December.
Timmonsville firefighter Stanley Matthews said some firefighters will remain on staff, however. It’s not clear exactly how many people serve on the Timmonsville Fire Squad.
The firefighters at Tuesday night’s meeting said town council promised the $4,000 bill they submitted for their sevivces would be paid in December. They said they were quitting because it’s now March and they have yet to be paid.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Darrick Jackson said the town is “financially challenged” because of more than $80,000 in missing town revenue from delinquent water bill payments. He said that’s one reason the firefighters haven’t been paid.
The revenue the town gets from water bill payments makes up a substantial amount of the town’s budget, Jackson said.
Council members passed two ordinances Tuesday night that would increase penalties levied against residents who don’t pay their water bills on time.
Town officials said that for the 14 million gallons of water used in February, the town only billed for less than 5 million gallons used. The town serves 1,100 customers.
A capcity crowd was on hand for Tuesday night’s meeting. Most of them said they were there to get answers from council about the town’s infrastructure problems.
Last summer, some residents and business owners in Timmonsville voiced concerned about what they called increasingly high water bills. Many people said they can no longer pay the water bills, and some were doing without water.
Sandra Harris, spokesowman for Concerned Citizens of Timmonsville, said residents needed to demand answers about how the town’s money is being spent and the services they receive. Their questions, she said, have gone unanswered for too long.
Mark Fountain, who was named Timmonsville’s town administrator two weeks ago, said the town is trying to apply for grants to alleviate the deficit in the town’s coffers.
He would not comment further.
“This is past an emergency situation. We’re on life support,” Jackson said.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement