Fire Chief Pushes Back Over Department Funds

HOLLOW ROCK - “For the last week, I was ready to bring my turnout gear in here and just throw it down on the table and be done,” said Hollow Rock Fire Chief, Curt Lumley, as he addressed the board at their meeting on Tuesday, October 21.

ADDRESSING THE BOARD – Hollow Rock Fire Chief Curt Lumley speaks to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen about the comptroller requiring the town to take control of the fire department’s funds. Jesse Joseph/Carroll County Observer

Lumley was frustrated with the state comptroller’s directive requiring the town to take control of the volunteer fire department’s funds.

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He and others in the department said it undermines years of community-supported fundraising and independence.

The department was recently awarded more than $77,000 in grant funding , and Lumley said he worries that future grants or donations could be affected if the department no longer manages its own account.

“People donate because they know it goes straight to the fire department,” he said. “If they think it’s just going into the town’s general fund, that could hurt us. We’ve always been transparent about where every dollar goes.”

During the meeting, Lumley gave a detailed account of the department’s history, its self-funded efforts, and the services it provides the town beyond emergency response.

He reminded the board that the Hollow Rock Volunteer Fire Department was founded in 1938 and has grown through decades of community support and volunteer labor.

“When I joined in 2008, we had one station,” Lumley said. “We turned the old school into Station 2 with donated materials and fundraisers. We didn’t ask the town for help, we did it ourselves.”

He listed numerous examples of how the department’s fundraising dollars have been used: purchasing pagers, maintaining equipment, and funding community programs such as Project Graduation and the annual “Christmas for Kids” program.

“Everything that we do, we’re able to do because we’ve had our own account,” he said. “If someone needed help, we could help. That’s the way it’s always been.”

Town Attorney Butch Maddox said the comptroller’s office is requiring the change to ensure proper financial reporting and accountability.

TOWN ATTORNEY SPEAKS – Attorney Butch Maddox explains that the comptroller’s office requires all funds under the town’s umbrella to be formally accounted for. Jesse Joseph/Carroll County Observer

“They’re requiring that we have to account for whatever money and funds they have,” Maddox explained.

Recorder RaSha Higdon stressed that even though the city holds the money, it all belongs to the fire department.

“It will be spent on only fire department accounts,” she said. “Legally, I want us to do what’s right for the town, and I want to help the fire department continue to do what they’ve always done.”

Lumley asked that the department receive monthly financial statements to stay informed. “I can’t go someplace and tell RaSha what I need if I don’t know what we’ve got,” he said. “I just want to make sure we can still function the way we always have.”

By the end of the discussion, both sides agreed to meet again to find a solution that keeps the department compliant while preserving its autonomy.

REASSURANCE – Recorder RaSha Higdon assures Lumley that all fire department funds will remain designated solely for fire-related expenses. Jesse Joseph/Carroll County Observer

“We just have to figure out how we’re going to move forward so everybody can work together,” Lumley said.

Other Business

The board approved a continuing resolution to extend the town’s current budget through the end of October.

Higdon said all funds except the water fund have been entered into the proposed budget, and that final figures will be completed by the end of the October, allowing the board to move forward with two readings of the full 2025–26 budget.

They passed the second reading of an ordinance requiring new hires to undergo a drug test.

The board also approved the hiring of two new employees for the public works department: Michael Bilderback and Austin Ernsberger.

Fire Chief Lumley noted that the town’s ISO inspection is scheduled for November 6.

Hollow Rock’s next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 18.

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Fire Chief Pushes Back Over Department Funds

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