Fire department-township dispute not over

Early last May, Drywood Township officials thought they had put a long-running feud to bed after appointing newly elected Garland Rural Fire Department Chief Dennis Krom to run the department.

Wrong.

Krom was recently told to resign his post, once again leaving the township and the department at odds. Krom was the second chief in about six months to be ousted. The fire department elects its officers, which are then approved by the township board. That board consists of a trustee, Darrell Bloomfield, a treasurer, Dwayne Allen and a clerk, Kevin Howard.

Krom, who still considers himself chief of the GFD, along with his wife, Laura Krom, former treasurer for the GFD, Josh Boysen, assistant chief for GFD and Jimmie Linn, volunteer for the GFD visited with commissioners on March 4 to voice their concerns about ongoing problems with the Drywood Township board.

Krom contends that two members of the township board, Trustee Darrell Bloomfield and Allen, are not residents in the Garland Fire District, thus by statute, they cannot vote to fire him.

"I am still the chief," Krom said on March 4. Krom also said he has changed the locks at the fire department for insurance purposes.

He told commissioners on March 4 that he had been fired with "no valid reasons or complaints" by the township's board, but on advice of lawyers has continued on with the GFD.

Bloomfield said the new chief, Carl Cotton, who was appointed by the board is on "standby" right now because the GFD has changed locks on the doors to the station.

On Friday, Allen and Howard visited with commissioners to try and find a resolution to the ongoing problems with the GFD. Commission chair Allen Warren was not in attendance due to a prior speaking engagement in Bronson.

But the struggle between the two entities began long before Krom's dismissal.

Multiple volunteer resignations in 2012, including that of former chief Jarred Dunlay and three other fire department volunteers, and accusations of guideline violations led to the involvement of the Drywood Township board, which asked longtime volunteers Lester and Ruth Waring to tender their resignations last spring.

In May 2012, Bloomfield declined to comment on the nature of the violations.

"I'd really rather not comment on that," Bloomfield said. "We started investigations and we strictly went by the state statutes. Now, I just want it go forward instead of backwards."

When Krom originally got the nomination in May 2012, he said he stipulated that he would only accept if the Warings remained with the department.

"I didn't feel comfortable or right if this resignation was demanded for two people that are very highly credible and skilled," Krom said.

When asked about the allegations last spring Ruth Waring said, "We figure it's just better to keep our mouths shut."

Howard said in a May 4, 2012 Tribune report that as far as he was concerned the matter was a "done deal" and the "problem has been resolved."

Not so. Fast forward to March 2013 and the in-fighting between the township and the fire department continues.

"About a year ago there were issues," Allen told commissioners on Friday.

Allen said that after looking into matters they decided to oust Lester Waring as chief and his wife Ruth, who served as secretary.

"That's where it all started," Allen said.

He said the GFD retained an attorney, as did the township board. He said Krom, who the board had appointed to replace Waring, was fired for not following the township's requests. Allen said he had asked Krom to pick up equipment from people the township had released from duty and Krom refused to do so.

"He wasn't really doing what we wanted him to do and we as a board decided to terminate him," Allen said. "What it boils down to is we don't have the budget nor the money to deal with this, being the small township that we are. We are at an impasse. The person we asked to leave (Krom) refuses to leave and as I understand it has changed the locks on the doors (at the fire station). We don't know what to do."

Allen said the township does not have money to continue with attorneys and that they came to commissioners to ask help with the matter. He said the township sought legal counsel after contacting Sheriff Ron Gray to go and pick up equipment from the GFD. Gray told the township he could not seize the equipment without legal, written instructions to do so.

"What are we supposed to do from this point forward?" Allen asked commissioners. "We ran out of money."

Howard said he released the township's attorney this week. Allen said the GFD's attorney fees come directly from the fire department's account, which is funded by money from taxpayers of both Scott and Drywood townships.

"I really don't think we have any authority," Commissioner Harold Coleman told Allen and Howard.

"It's pretty sad when a volunteer firefighter outranks an elected person," Howard said. "The taxpayers put us in there to represent their best interests. They (firefighters) should volunteer to protect the taxpayers' best interests, but it's not working like that right now."

Allen said he came to the county commission meeting because they did not know where to go next.

"If we don't have responsibility for it (GFD), then who does?" Allen asked. "...Unfortunately, I think this could drag on forever and ever, with our attorney arguing with their attorney and all it is doing is eating up public funds. We need a judge or someone to make a ruling on whether we are responsible (for the department) or not."

Commissioner Barbara Albright voiced her concern as to whether or not Bourbon County citizens living in Drywood are protected from fire.

"The main thing is to have good fire protection," Albright said. "I can't really give advice, I can only share my concerns."

The commissioners said their hands are virtually tied on the matter as they do not have jurisdiction over the township or fire department, but did offer unofficial suggestions for both parties to try and either work with a mediator or work jointly to appoint fire officials they can mutually agree on.

"They (GFD) want to have their own governing board and not follow the township," Howard said. "They should have their own board and everything, but we should be over their finances and approve their board."

Allen said during the past year, his name has been added to the GFD's financial accounts.

"Before all this, it never was," Allen said.

Howard told commissioners the troubles he has with the department are not of a personal nature.

"There's nothing any of the three of us can gain from this," Howard said. "We are just trying to do what is best for the township."