Signaling a continued transition to dual ownership of its shared equipment, the City of Memphis and the Scotland County Rural Fire Protection Corporation recently reached an agreement in principal to split the purchase price of a fire truck to replace the city's truck that was destroyed in a traffic accident this summer.
Representatives of the City Council met with the governing board of the rural fire department as well as volunteer firemen on July 19th at the fire station to discuss plans to replace the 1974 Chevy C-65 truck while also laying the groundwork for continued cooperation for future projects, including the possibility of remodeling, expanding or replacing the fire station.
City representatives indicated that insurance coverage on the destroyed fire truck recouped roughly $20,000. The municipal fire department fund is financed in large part through personal property taxes in the city. Combined with special financial institution and utilities taxes, the average annual revenue for the fire department fund is roughly $25,000.