Johnny Logan confronted the board about a problem with fire investigators. Logan lost one of his homes to a fire October 15, 2020, on County Road 223. The home was a total loss.
Mr. Logan found the fire suspicious and called 911 to request a fire investigator.
“He said he would get back with me in one day,” said Logan. “Still haven’t heard from him. A couple weeks later, I called EMA office for Eddie Ivy; he wasn’t there, never heard from him. I have not heard from anybody yet or have a report on the house burning and there has been no investigation. That’s pretty sad. All the evidence has done gone, right? I want to know what ya’ll are going to do about it,” stated Logan.
Logan stated to EMA Director Eddie Ivy that he was upset with him as well. “Eddie, I asked for you! You haven’t contact me yet. Is that your job? You failed! You failed me!”
The supervisors explained that whoever took the message over the phone was only a volunteer and cannot be held responsible for not passing the message along.
Ivy told Logan that the state fire marshal was called to come in to investigate, but that the state normally doesn’t follow up with Ivy after the investigation unless they need additional information.
Chief Deputy Barry White told Logan that the local fire investigator did check into this, that this was not Ivy’s fault, but they would follow up with the investigator and update him (Logan) that evening.
The board of Supervisors approved the fulltime hire of LaToshia Evans to be the Deputy Director of the EMA office. Recently the volunteers with the local fire departments and emergency personnel made it known to the supervisors that Ivy needs help in his office. Ivy is the only paid employee of the EMA office and fire coordinator for the county. Evans is a dispatcher for 911 and has had some training in fields that would be beneficial in that position.
In other activities, the board approved:
• To purchase trophies for 4H Livestock winners
• Term bids for 2021
• The hiring of an employee for the Sheriff’s Department
• To release FAA funds to Clarke County Airport
• To approve to fund 5% of a grant for the airport
• Board mileage and per diem for 2021
• To continue the allowance on the rent to Credos Fabrication due to the pandemic
• To purchase a light for the newly installed tower at the armory
• The yearly contract with Creature Comforts
The meetings are open to the public and are held every first and third Mondays of each month at 9 a.m. in the Supervisor’s boardroom. The next board meeting is Monday, February 1.
