Cameron Thurston is sworn in as Claypool’s reserve deputy marshal during a meeting on Tuesday, July 21. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

CLAYPOOL — The Claypool Town Council discussed the town’s fire contract with the Claypool Volunteer Fire Department during a meeting on Tuesday, July 21.

Claypool Fire Chief Rick Hurley and Clay Township Trustee Helen Brown were both at the meeting regarding the five-year contract. Hurley said that the fire department has not received a signed contract for this year. The contract asks the town to pay $10,000 every year for five years to the fire department.

“It’s the same contract that was signed before in 2015,” said Hurley. “There’s been no raise or anything like that.”

Regarding payments on the contract, Clerk-Treasurer Pat Warner said that in 2017, only one $5,000 payment was made by the town. In 2018, Warner paid the $5,000 remainder owed from 2017 and later paid $15,000 in total for 2018.

“We were actually over $5,000,” said Warner.

Council Members Gene Warner and Benny Stage Jr. both said they wanted to read the contract in its entirety before agreeing to sign it. The council will meet with the Clay Township Trustee and township board, along with the Claypool fire chief, on July 27.

In other matters, Town Marshal Ben Sanders swore in Cameron Thurston as Claypool’s reserve deputy marshal.

Council also approved the purchase of two life jackets for the police department after an incident where a vehicle went into Carr Lake on Wednesday, July 15.

The council’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18.