BALDWIN, Ga. — Fire staffing and spending took center stage Tuesday as Baldwin city leaders revisited previously delayed agenda items, ultimately approving two public safety measures while deferring a decision on adding personnel.

The Baldwin City Council approved both the Habersham County Local Emergency Operating Plan and an automatic aid agreement with the Cornelia Fire Department without objection. A separate proposal to unfreeze a firefighter position drew extensive discussion during the work session and is expected to return for a vote April 7.

The agenda also reflected when council members received materials for each item — a change that follows concerns raised earlier this month about having enough time to review proposals before voting.

Fire staffing proposal sparks budget debate

The most in-depth discussion centered on a proposal from Baldwin Fire Chief Ross Jackson to reallocate existing payroll funds to unfreeze a firefighter position that had been held open during a previous budget crunch.

Jackson said the move would allow the department to maintain a minimum of three firefighters per shift and improve its ability to meet Insurance Services Office (ISO) standards, which can directly affect homeowners insurance rates.

“The biggest thing that it helps with is … we can at least meet with a minimum staffing of three,” Jackson said, adding that increased staffing improves both emergency response and insurance ratings.

He stressed the proposal would not require new funding.

“What I’m asking for is just to allocate funds that were meant for payroll to unfreeze a position,” Jackson said. “There’ll still be a surplus when it’s all said and done.”

Councilman Joe Elam, who campaigned on closely scrutinizing city spending, pressed Jackson repeatedly on Baldwin’s fire department costs and how they compare to neighboring jurisdictions.

“The only way you can judge this is by metrics,” Elam said, pointing to data he compiled

showing Baldwin’s per-employee fire costs and overall budget share outpacing nearby departments. “We can’t spend an exorbitant amount of money when other departments are so much more efficient than we are.”

Elam said Baldwin’s fire department accounts for roughly 27% of the city’s general budget, compared to about 11% at the county level and lower percentages in Cornelia and other cities. He also questioned why Baldwin’s cost per firefighter appeared significantly higher.

“You’ve got to convince me why it costs us more per worker compared to other departments,” he said.

Jackson said differences in staffing models, pay structure and reliance on full-time personnel versus part-time or volunteer staffing help explain the gap. He also noted Baldwin is maintaining multiple firefighters per shift, while some smaller departments operate with fewer personnel.

He acknowledged Elam’s concerns about efficiency and said the department — and the city as a whole — must continue looking for ways to control costs.

“You are absolutely right,” Jackson said. “Without any kind of growth into this area, it’s going to be very, very troublesome to keep public safety without putting it on the citizens’ backs.”

Long-term cost concerns raised

Councilman Mike Tope raised concerns about the long-term financial impact, noting that

while current payroll savings make the proposal feasible this year, adding a full-time position would increase future budgets.

“You’re asking for this position in perpetuity,” Tope said. “Going forward, it will not be a surplus. It will be an increase.”

Jackson agreed the position would carry forward but described the increase as modest. He said relying on part-time staffing alone is not sustainable due to scheduling uncertainties.

Councilwoman Nancy Lehman emphasized the importance of maintaining the city’s ISO rating, recalling a personal experience when an error caused her homeowners insurance to spike.

“No one wants their homeowner’s insurance to double,” Lehman said. “It’s important that we at least maintain, if not improve, that ISO rating.”

The council took no formal action on the proposal, which is expected to return for a vote at the April 7 meeting.

Emergency plan, fire agreement approved

Council members unanimously approved ratification of Habersham County’s Local Emergency Operating Plan, which outlines how local agencies coordinate during major emergencies.

They also approved an automatic aid agreement between Baldwin and Cornelia, allowing the closest available fire units to respond across city lines to improve response times and coverage.

Both items had been delayed from the March 3 meeting after council members requested additional time to review the documents.

The agenda notes the emergency plan was provided to council on Feb. 17, while the fire agreement was distributed Feb. 27.

Public Works highlights storm response, infrastructure issues

Public Works Director Scott Barnhart updated the council on recent operations, including the department’s response to back-to-back winter storms.

Barnhart said crews spread 519 tons of material and logged more than 700 man-hours during the two events, even as many workers were dealing with illness.

“There wasn’t a single soul down there that wasn’t sick,” Barnhart said. “They just roughed it out and got it done.”

Mayor Doug Faust praised the effort, saying residents and even postal workers had taken notice.

“My postman stopped me and said … the Baldwin Public Works team did the best in the entire area,” Faust said.

Barnhart also addressed a recent gas line rupture in front of City Hall that shut down U.S. 441 for several hours. He said a contractor installing a water line struck an unmarked high-pressure gas line, requiring coordination with the Georgia Department of Transportation to revise plans before work can resume.

He added that the project should remain largely on schedule once approvals are secured.

Barnhart also highlighted signs of commercial growth, including utility work tied to a new Waffle House on Ga. 365, joking about future development possibilities nearby.