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Philippi passes fire fee measure

PHILIPPI — Philippi City Council unanimously voted in favor of the city fire fee ordinance on its second and final reading Tuesday.

Many local volunteer fire fighters, along with wives, girlfriends, parents, family members and other citizens, came to the meeting to show their support for the Philippi Fire Department and the fire fee.

However, Karen Hartman and Hank Sharrow both spoke against the ordinance, saying they were appearing on behalf of multiple property owners, regarding the effect that the fire fee will have on them.

The property owners offered other ways for the department to raise money other than the fire fee, including grant funding. Hartman also set up a petition for local residents.

“If anyone would like to get information regarding the petition, call 457-5722 and I would be more than happy to share the information that I have collected,” Hartman said.

Linda Menear spoke about the importance of the fire department and her support of the fire fee. Menear talked about the help she received from the Philippi Fire Department when her house caught on fire. She also explained her father was a fire fighter with the Philippi department.

Menear was also concerned that, if the city were to lose its fire department, the cost of homeowners insurance would significantly increase.

Chief David Utt mentioned that without the fire fee, the department would have to downsize greatly.

With state codes and regulations and the rising costs of the equipment, the department could have faced the possibility of closing without the fire fee, he said.

The chief said support for the fire department was overwhelming. All of the members present at Tuesday’s meeting were volunteers of the Philippi Fire Department.

“I would like all counties to know that when it comes to fire protection now, there is only two kinds of departments that will survive,” Utt said. “That is a department that is city backed and has a fire fee or small departments that do not run very many calls.”

The Philippi Fire Department answered more than 405 calls last year. This year, the department has already answered 70 calls in the past two months.

“The fire department will be able to continue it’s service to the people” with the fire fee, Utt said.

Jeremy Drennen, the city’s director of finance, said, “The city has been holding the burden for the surrounding area, the ultimate goal is for everyone to pay a fair share.”

Drennen said the next step would be to amend the ordinance to include the surrounding service areas that the Philippi Fire Department covers. This process will involve another public hearing and votes.

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