Jim Hulse from the 15,000 block of 4B Road north of Plymouth appeared before the Marshall County Commissioners on Tuesday to complain about a bill he received from the Tyner Volunteer Fire Department.
Hulse told the commissioners he had a small fire in a pole-barn garage when a forklift caught on fire. He called the fire department because the fire was blazing and then put the fire out and pulled the forklift out of the structure before the Polk Twp. fire department showed up.
Mr. Hulse was shocked when he received a bill of $1,654.93 for the equipment and five volunteers that were dispatched to the fire.
He spoke to Polk Township Trustee Jerry Lamb who said he would talk to the Fire Chief and have him contact Mr. Hulse but that didn’t happen. Hulse also said his homeowner’s insurance did send the Polk Township Fire Department a check for $500. Jim Hulse also commented that over the year’s he has donated $11,000 of equipment and labor to the Polk Township Volunteer Fire Department.
Marshall County Commissioner President Stan Klotz told Mr. Hulse they don’t have any control over the fire departments. Stan said he was complaining to the wrong board. Klotz said, “We have no say-so in what happens in Tyner, Polk Township, with their fire department. You have to take it to the Trustee and their Advisory Board and the Fire Chief. We don’t have the authority to tell them what to do.”
