MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County Commission voted Monday to oppose the closure of Fire Station #60, serving the Raleigh area.
The unanimous vote took place in the Commission’s 3 p.m. meeting. It does not necessarily mean the fire station will remain open in the long term.
Commission Chairman Terry Roland said Commissioners do not have a say in which fire stations are open and which close.
“I agree with them [supporters]. They should keep it open. The problem is as dictated per state law, the County Commission doesn’t have my say in it, and I don’t like that a bit,” Roland said.
He said the decision is up to Public Works and the Shelby County Mayor.
He said what the vote does is kind of pauses the station’s closure.
Roland said he hopes to see some “de-annexation” changes after January, which could give the county more people paying into fire fees.
Those fees are what people getting served by county fire stations pay for services.
Roland said he also hopes Shelby County can get some kind of fire district, like a board, that could adjust fire fees and keep money coming in to run Station #60. He said the Commission would have more oversight that way.
Commission documents showed it costs about $1.2 million to run Station #60 right now.
A few supporters came for the vote.
“The ball is in the mayor’s court. It’s obvious that this station should not be closed,” said supporter Wayne Carrozza.
Commission documents showed the mayor’s administration planned to transfer services from Station #60 on Egypt-Central to staff a fire station on Navy Road that Millington can no longer run for the county.
Station #60’s coverage area includes about 9,536 people.
Mayor Mark Luttrell’s office provided this statement:
“Providing adequate fire protection for all Shelby County neighborhoods is a challenge. Fire Chief Alvin Benson spent many hours to help ensure the movement of any fire equipment won’t jeopardize the response time of firefighters.
The county will have an ambulance at Station 60, which will provide a faster response for emergency medical issues that arise in the Brownsville-Maher Woods Community.
Based on today’s action by the commission, we will look at any options presented to us.”