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Tontitown City Firefighters Lose Jobs As Area Fire Department Takes Over Services

TONTITOWN (KFSM)- All the firefighters who worked at the Tontitown City Fire Department were terminated Wednesday (April 1), according to a letter sent to each ...
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TONTITOWN (KFSM)- All the firefighters who worked at the Tontitown City Fire Department were terminated Wednesday (April 1), according to a letter sent to each of them by Mayor Paul Colvin.

The letter was addressed to all full-time, part-time employees and volunteers at the fire department. It states they have been relieved of their duties because the Tontitown Area Fire Department took over fire protection services at 12:01 on Wednesday. To read the full letter, click here.

On March 3, the Tontitown City Council voted on two ordinances that eliminated the city fire department and established a two-year contract with the TAFD.

However, Alderman Joe Edgemon said the transfer of services can’t happen because of an emergency clause that he included in his referendum on the City Council decision to disband the city fire department.

Edgemon said the signatures he needed to get his referendum on a special election ballot that would let voters decide whether they want to repeal the ordinance that disbanded the city fire department were certified by the Tontitown Recorder Wednesday (April 1). Edgemon needed 150 signatures to force a special election and he got 187 certified. The referendum now heads to the Washington County Clerk for certification and then to the Washington County Election Commission, which will put it on the ballot for the June 9 election.

Edgemon said he spoke with the fire chief and with some of the firefighters who’ve been fired and said they are willing to come back if voters repeal the ordinance passed the City Council.

Edgemon said the city fire department has about $800,000-worth of equipment that was removed from the station Wednesday and put in the city garage.

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