LOUDON — The Loudon County Commission on Monday voted against
additional funding for repairs and maintenance of military
equipment acquired from the federal government by the county’s
Office of Homeland Security.
The 5-4 vote to deny $23,000 in funding followed more than an
hour of public comment by residents opposed to the budget
amendment. “There is a difference between what you need and what
you want,” said Wayne Schnell, a leader in the Loudon County Tea
Party.
Schnell criticized the acquisitions, especially a 32-foot boat
that was the primary topic of discussion, as expensive to
maintain and redundant to those already operated by other local
emergency agencies.
Resident Bill Fink, who said he had experience in the marine
industry, including 3,000 hours operating similar boats, called
the boat “overkill” for the needs of the county. Operating cost
in fuel alone would be more than $100 per hour, he said. “It’s
an appealing asset but it carries a lot of baggage,” he said.
Office of Homeland Security Director Daryl Smith told commissioners that all the equipment, including Humvees, trucks and the boat, were acquired after examination of the county’s possible worst case emergency needs. “Everything I’m doing is to prepare to save lives,” he said.
The boat was acquired from Defense Logistics Agency after a trip
to the Marine Corps base in Cherry Point, N.C. He said he had
made the trip in search of another boat but found the 32-footer,
which is worth $150,000 when operating, available for the cost
of transportation. The boat can serve as a work platform for the
local dive squad and other agencies, he said.
Other equipment acquired from DLA includes heavy eight-wheel
drive trucks and 2,500-gallon water tankers that can be used by
fire departments to access and fight remote grass and brush
fires, he said.
Maintenance costs are also low because his department has
learned to be selective in the surplus equipment it accepts, he
said. Some of the Humvees, for example, are practically new, he
said.
Commissioners questioned Smith about why he acquired the
equipment before asking for a maintenance and operational
budget. “Why are we just finding out about this now?” asked
Steve Harrelson. Smith explained that the boat was an “on the
spot opportunity”
“I think it would help if you came to the budget committee in advance,” said Commissioner Don Miller, who requested the vote on the equipment be separated from another vote to amend the budget.
In the final vote, Miller, Harrelson, Bob Franke, Earlena Maples
and Dave Meers voted against the budget increase. Harold Duff,
Roy Bledsoe, Rosemary Quillen and Brian Jenkins voted for the
funding.