On November 23, 2020, Smith County Mayor Jeff Mason and Fire Chief Jacky Carver accepted a new fire tanker to be stationed at the Central District Fire Department. This new tanker replaces an aging tanker within the department. The old tanker will be repurposed for use by the solid waste department.
(L to R) Jeff Mason, Jacky Carver, Drake Earnest, Brock Brocius
The tanker was purchased with funds awarded from the state earlier this year through a state local support grant as relief after the March tornadoes and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The county received $826,000 from the state to be used for limited purposes, including public safety and capital maintenance. The amount awarded was based upon the population according to the 2018 US Census Bureau estimate.
The county commission approved the purchase of a new fire tanker for the fire department along with two bush hog tractors and an oil distributer for the highway department. No match was required for these funds, so no local county funds were used to purchase these items.
