2 men show up to Auxvasse Fire Department recruitment meeting
AUXVASSE, Mo. (KMIZ)
Two men showed up to a meeting on Thursday where the City of Auxvasse attempted to recruit new volunteer firefighters.
At 6:30 p.m., the garage doors of the Auxvasse Fire Department opened to the public for an informational session about how to become a volunteer firefighter. Despite the critical need, only two individuals attended to learn more about the positions.
"I wish more people had attended, but we’ll take what we have and move forward from here," Auxvasse Mayor Clifford Wenneker said.
Currently, the Auxvasse Fire Department has no active members. The city has been relying on mutual aid from the North Callaway Fire Protection District.
"We currently have mutual aid from North Callaway, and they have been responding to our emergency calls. We are very appreciative of their support. Until we devise a long-term plan, this is our only option," City Clerk Hooks said.
The meeting comes after an unanimous decision by the City Council to terminate Fire Chief Rebecca Stone on July 11. In the release, the city clarified that only Stone was let go, and no volunteers were dismissed. In the wake of her dismissal, all volunteers under her command resigned as well, leaving the fire department without personnel. Wenneker said the city had around eight-to-10 volunteers.
"All the volunteers turned in their gear, and despite our efforts to reach out to them, we have not received any responses," Hooks said.
A Facebook post attributed to Stone on the Fire Department’s Facebook page claimed that all fire department members were let go. The city’s press release at the time said the Fire Department’s page was “not an official channel.”
The City Council is actively seeking solutions to rebuild the fire department and restore its operational capacity. It hopes to appoint a fire chief by the next council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
Wenneker said the city is hoping it can double -- or at least replicate -- the number of volunteer firefighters it previously had.
