Board of Trustees August 11, 2022
West Blount Fire & EMS District
The Board of Trustees for West Blount Fire and Emergency Medical Services District met at Fire Station No. 1 on August 11, 2022, the meeting began at 6:02 PM led by Greg Reid, Chair. Three trustees were present, plus JJ Ivey, Chief, Melissa Thomas, Treasurer, and Kimberly Williams, Billing Manager.
The minutes of the July 14, 2022, meeting were accepted on motion by Marty Stover, seconded by Greg Reid.
Financial report – The operating balance for July 2022 was $454,501.18. Total income was $21,370.63, with dues of $19,808.80. Total expenses were $49,652.63 with payroll of $29,132.67, workers comp of $6,917, repair and maintenance of $4,054.41, and insurance of $5,171.75. The report was accepted on motion by Marty Stover, seconded by Dolores Fort.
Chief’s Report
Total calls for July were 129, including 13 out-of-area (2 – Mt. High / Ricetown; 6 – Bangor; 1 – Locust Fork / Dallas/Selfville; 4 Nectar / Cleveland): 93 medical, 1 structure fire, 9 auto accident, 4 fire alarm, 13 public service, 10 wild fire, 2 fire other, 7 tree down. Breakdown by station = Sta. 1 Hayden, 59; Sta. 2 Smoke Rise, 50; Sta. 3 Sugar Creek, 8; Sta. 4 Nyota, 2.
Also reported:
Update on the new engine, still no chassis
The company selling the radios is Allcom; there is a problem with the invoices being mismatched; there will be no payment made until the mix-up is fixed. Once these radios are paid for, we will be short 3.
There is a staffing shortage, need to hire another full-time employee; some current employees are leaving for better paying positions
There are three volunteers going to recruit school
Life Guard will be the new ambulance service for Blount County, they will be taking over October 1st, there will be four ambulances in the county.
Blount EMS has no workers, therefore, there will be no ambulance at the home football games. According to Blount Healthcare Authority West Blount will provide two firefighters at each game and will receive $250 per game.
The Chief’s report was accepted on motion by Greg Reid, seconded by Marty Stover.
Old Business
Billing Update – The attorneys at the end of July have a total of 271 accounts, seven paid in full and 54 were added. Two checks for $3,612 08 and $2,431.51 from MSN (Massey, Stotser, & Nicholas) were received for July collections, making a total of $20,719.79 collected in 2022, and $142,574.39 since first turned over to MSN. There were no new accounts added in July. Fire dues received in July was $12,764.09 in checks, $6,632 50 Credit/Debit card and $232.21 fees, plus $180 assessment fees, and other income of $1,822, Fire & Rescue Billing Consultant, totaling $21,630.80 [income from July 2021 was $24,897.42]. Total collected for 2022 is $517,545.81. There are 801 accounts in the system with a balance totaling $320,266.83 at the end of July, which includes all outstanding dues from the beginning. So far this year, there is
West Blount Fire Board – August 11, 2022 Page 2
78% participation of dues payment. As of July 31 there were 2,763 accounts paid in full, 801 with a balance.
On July 29, 54 accounts were sent to MSM for collections.
A motion was made by Marty Stover, seconded by Greg Reid, to approve Chief JJ Ivey as a signatory for liens and lien releases in addition to Greg Reid, Board Chair. Motion passed.
New Business - none
Announcements – The next Board meeting will be Thursday, September 8, 2022, 6:00 PM at Fire Station No. 1.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 PM on motion by Dolores Fort.
Present Not Present
Dolores Fort Annette Cox
Greg Reid Mark Giddy
Marty Stover
JJ Ivey
Melissa Thomas
Kimberly Williams
There were 5 firefighters present
Dolores Fort
Secretary
