DEWAYNE HOLLOWAY
dewayne@mcnews.online
SIMS – A recent fire in the Sims area has added a renewed sense of urgency to the need for a resolution in the Sims Volunteer Fire Department controversy.
Members of the Sims Volunteer Fire Department have stated that an attic fire was reported late Sunday night in the Sims area. While the Sims VFD is under no legal obligation to respond to the fire, members of the Sims VFD stated that they reported to the main firehouse in Sims to get a truck and equipment to respond to the fire. Upon arrival at the station they discovered that the locks had been changed on the fire house preventing them from collecting equipment to respond to the fire.
Pencil Bluff/Oden VFD and S&L VFD did respond to the fire which was contained. It was reported that one injury was sustained at the fire, but it was not life threatening.
A representative from Oden/Pencil Bluff VFD stated at a Sims VFD meeting held Monday that Dewayne Franklin , a member of Sims VFD, brought a truck to the fire. By the time the fire was contained three Sims VFD trucks, a pumper and two tankers, were on scene.
Sims VFD no longer have a fire district to cover according to a vote made in a December meeting of the quorum court. The Sims fire district was dissolved and the coverage area was split between Oden/Pencil Bluff and S&L VFDs.
Nathan Mendenhall, , legal council for the Sims VFD Board of Directors, stated that the quorum court’s vote did not abolish the boundary of the Sims VFD and they were free to respond to any fire. He contended that all the quorum court’s decision did was nullify the voluntary payment of dues collected on the tax roll each year.
A representative of the Oden/Pencil Bluff VFD stated Monday night at a meeting held at the Sims VFD firehouse in Sims that they will respond to any fire in the area as quickly as possible. They also encouraged Sims VFD to offer any assistance possible.
Fire trucks and equipment located at the Sims VFD firehouse in Sims have been relocated and those in attendance at Monday’s meeting stated that they did not have access to the equipment.
At a meeting held at the firehouse in Sims several people asked how fire trucks from Oden/Pencil Bluff VFD beat Sims VFD trucks to a fire that was located one mile from a Sims Fire Station. The fire station referred to is located on the property of Dewayne Franklin.
Johnette Rowland, JP for much of the Sims community reported that the fire flared back up Monday night but a quick response by Oden/Pencil Bluff VFD contained the fire once again.
Mendenhall stated by phone Monday afternoon that the fire stations had been locked because the Board of Directors had contacted him to tell him that unauthorized persons were moving vehicles around in the fire stations. He explained that this presented the Sims Volunteer Fire Department Corporation with a level of liability if anyone was injured and a special meeting was called of the Board of Directors to deal with the issue.
A decision was made to secure the buildings to prevent any unauthorized persons from entering the building. The decision to secure the buildings was made before the aforementioned fire.
He added that a report of a breaking or entering was made Monday at the main firehouse in Sims. No arrests were made.
Mendenhall also reported that during the emergency meeting held Sunday evening the two vacant positions on the Board of Directors were filled on an interim basis. Nancy Hawthorne and Bob Porter were selected to serve as interim board members until the annual meeting set in February. He added that at that time the two vacant positions, as well as the position currently held by Donna Franklin, will be filled by a vote of the general body of the VFD. According to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s website current board members include Donna Franklin, Jerry Summitt and Marion McKinney.
Firefighters in attendance at the meeting held Monday stated that Franklin’s term ended January 1, 2020. However, she is still listed as a board member on the Secretary of State’s website.
An annual meeting was held Monday at the Firehouse located in Sims. The meeting was posted by members of the Sims VFD at the firehouse and in the Montgomery County News.
Mendenhall stated that the Board of Directors are the only persons authorized to set the date for the annual meeting. They had set a date in February for the annual meeting. He stated that any other meeting such as the one held Monday was therefore an unauthorized meeting and no decisions made would be binding.
Members at the meeting Monday contended that the annual meeting has always been held the second Monday in January. It was stated that the date is set in the original articles of incorporation, but there was no mention of the annual meeting date in the copy of the articles of incorporation provided to this reporter.
There were approximately 40 people on hand for the meeting Monday. Donnie Stovall served as moderator as the meeting got underway. He asked all persons interested in serving on the Board of Directors to step to the front of the room. Donnie Stovall, Justus Beggs, Susanne Reynolds, Ty Gray, Steve Robins and Brandi Summitt expressed an interest in serving on the Board of Directors.
Brandi Summitt was elected by the general body to serve as secretary and Susanne Reynolds was elected by the general body to serve as treasurer. Both were selected by a 38-0 vote.
The remaining four candidates presented their qualifications and desire to serve on the Board of Directors. Ballots were passed out and each member cast votes for three candidates.
Votes were tallied, and a vote to remove the current Board of Directors was made before the results were read. The reason stated for removing the current Board of Directors was a neglect of duties.
Justus Beggs, Donnie Stovall and Steve Robins were selected to serve as new board members. The newly selected Board of Directors then selected Robins to serve as President of the board, Beggs was selected to serve as Vice President.
A motion was made to send a letter to Mendenhall relieving him of his duties as legal council. The motion passed 38-0. After a short discussion the body decided to delay sending the letter until they could get some legal council on the issue.
Kevin Gray was selected to serve as the new Fire Chief, a position he had previously held for six years. He had recently been removed from the position by the sitting Board of Directors.
Ricky Qualls was selected to serve as Assistant Fire Chief.
The meeting was adjourned.
