As of Monday, April 29, Jane and the surrounding rural properties are encompassed within the White Rock Fire Protection District.
For almost 50 years, fires in the area have been extinguished by a department of firefighters funded by annual fire dues paid by residents or collected through various fundraisers. The leap from a due-dependent department to a fire protection district ensures a consistent income for training and equipment.
The district is operated by a five-person board of directors elected by the district's constituents. Dan Moore, Ray Bratton, Joe Lahr, Erwin Brandenburg and Shawn Moore were voted onto the board in the recent municipal election.
After a short discussion, Dan Moore was chosen as the chairman of the board, and Ray Bratton was chosen as the vice-chairman. Colleen Moore was chosen as the secretary/scribe.
Attorney David Cole, of Cassville, Mo., presented board members with information outlining Missouri's Sunshine Laws in relation to municipal governments such as the fire protection district and stressed the importance of adhering to these regulations.
Cole noted that the fire district won't have any available funds until 2020 when the collected taxes are distributed. He explained that any money belonging to the fire department before it was designated a district must be handled by a separate party, such as an auxiliary support association. This association can fund the district's expenses until the end of the year or transfer funds and equipment directly to the district. Cole also noted that districts cannot hold fundraisers, such as the annual chili cookoff, but an auxiliary support association could do so.
Board members are responsible for appointing the fire chief, approving firefighters, maintaining training and insurance, and creating bylaws.
General News on 05/09/2019