From www.KETV.com:
By Kristyna Engdahl
Shelby (IA) – An Iowa city council fired almost all of its volunteer firefighters Tuesday, leaving the city of Shelby without a fire department. The closest one is now 15 miles away.
Former volunteers said it’s a dispute over politics and money — volunteer funds they claim the city wants control over, but city leaders said when it comes to those funds, the department lacks “accountability.”
Volunteer Firefighter Robert Hall said the property is without protection now, since the city changed the locks on the volunteer fire department and dismissed its crew.
The city spells it out in a letter that was circulated to all volunteers Tuesday, saying “On Dec. 16, the City Council required its fire department to turn over certain funds to the city clerk, so that they could be deposited into the general fund as required by law. The fire department failed to comply with this requirement.” It also mentions “failure to turn over these funds would be considered an act of insubordination.”
Hall said the money in question is from fundraisers and community generosity.
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