One fire chief is sworn in, another coming as Lake Wylie enters new era of service

Encircled, hands to the Bible, nearly a dozen men took their oaths to serve –whatever form that service takes.

The flip of a calendar brought an end to a contentious 2016 for Lake Wylie fire service. Bethel Volunteer Fire Department and Bethel Rural Fire Tax Board members disagreed for months on whether a paid fire chief is needed. Volunteers argued money would be better spent on shift firefighters since they have their own elected chief.

The tax board wanted continuity and professionalism a paid chief would bring.

On Dec. 5, the tax board announced 29-year fire service veteran Billy Thompson, deputy chief of operations for Gastonia, N.C., Fire Department since 2012, as the new paid chief. He starts Feb. 1.

The decision didn’t stop volunteers from holding their annual election Dec. 19. Long-time Chief Don Love was re-elected to a two-year term.

“We’re following our bylaws,” Love said. “Our bylaws are our rule book.”

Love said volunteers and the tax board, including paid firefighters and the incoming chief, will find the best way of working together to protect the area.

“We’re still figuring that out,” he said.

An agreement is being negotiated with county leaders outlining rules not only in Lake Wylie, but also in similar departments served by special tax districts and tax boards in charge of them. One option in discussion is having staff members paid by tax dollars report to the county rather than tax boards.

“Basically, all the paid staff will become county employees,” Bethel tax board member Ed Lindsey said. “This will increase their pay, give them better benefits and retirement plan.”

If a decision is reached, as early as this month, Lindsey expects all paid and volunteer firefighters would report to the new paid chief. The paid chief would interact with the tax board, which makes funding decisions, for all operations needs.

“I think the volunteers need to understand there will be only one chief in the firehouse and that will be Chief Thompson,” Lindsey said.

Many of the operational role debates the past year stem from two groups who have different but similar stakes in local fire protection.

Volunteers own some fire station buildings, trucks and gear purchased through money allotted them through the years. They also represent the majority of the firefighting force. Last year volunteers –more than 50 – celebrated 50 years serving the community.

The tax board owns the newest fire station, some trucks and gear purchased since it began in 2009 after voters approved the new tax district. It also provides a handful of paid staff positions, soon to include a paid chief.

While volunteers and the tax board stood at odds for much of last year, ongoing efforts at an agreement aim to bring everyone onto the same page. York County Councilwoman Allison Love, who swore in the volunteer leaders Thursday just days after taking her own county oath, says there is opportunity to come together.

“We’re working on it,” she said.

For now, there will be two chiefs as of Feb. 1.

Firefighter honored

Among the 11 volunteers sworn in Thursday night, one received a special honor. Treasurer Tim Sievers was voted unanimously as a lifetime member of the department. The recognition is given for firefighters who devote decades of service to their community, typically at least 20 years.

Sievers has been with the Bethel department about half that time, but spent at least as long as a firefighter in New York before coming to the area. He performs a variety of tasks at the Lake Wylie station but largely handles finances, from coordinating with public funding sources to collecting gas station receipts from volunteers who fill up the trucks.

Sievers initially was surprised by the motion and vote, but quickly was back to his joking self when asked what the honor means to him.

“It officially means that I’m old,” he said.

This story was originally published January 6, 2017 at 5:28 PM with the headline "One fire chief is sworn in, another coming as Lake Wylie enters new era of service."