AMERICUS — The Sumter County Board of Commissioners held a press conference Tuesday prior to its monthly work session, and announced its new ISO of 5/9.

In making the announcement Board Chairman Randy Howard said this is an improvement from 9 or 10 in most portions of the unincorporated county not within five miles of a fire station or within 1,000 ft. of a water source.

Howard said the County will continue to make improvements necessary to get the ISO to 4. He thanked the board members and staff and the County fire department in working to get this rating.

The Sumter County Board of Commissioners voted in September 2009 to create the new fire department to provide fire protection to the unincorporated areas of the county. In December 2009, the fire department headquarters on Rucker Street started responding to calls with paid staff and inmate firefighters. The second manned station was opened on U.S. Highway 19 South shortly after that.

In June 2010, the municipalities of Andersonville, Plains and DeSoto joined with funding of the new County fire department. In July 2010, the board approved a fire fee to be placed on the property tax bill creating a separate fund to pay the operating costs of the fire department. Later that year new substations were added which provided 99 percent of all county residences the five-mile distance from a station. That brought the number of stations to four manned (other two at Plains and Lake Blackshear) and 18 substations.

Howard also mentioned during the press conference that this rating places Sumter County in the top 20 percent of fire departments in the state. He said that of the 1,106 fire departments in Georgia, there are only 206 with a better ISO rating that Sumter County and 615 with a lower rating. He said that 221 have the same rating.

The new rate becomes effective Dec. 1 so that maps and data bases can be updated.

“The Board of Commissioners would like to thank the citizens of Sumter County for the support that it has received from the community in its efforts to provide fire and emergency responder services. Now that the ground work has been laid for a professional delivery of fire and first responder services, the Board pledges its support to continued improvement of facilities, equipment and staffing to raise the ISO to the highest feasible level with available resources,” Howard concluded.

Jeri Jackson, a Leslie resident in attendance, thanked “every commissioner for doing this in a timely manner.”

Local insurance business owner Mike Denham, in attendance, said, “There are a lot of people living outside Americus but in the 27th District that will experience increases in their insurance rates.”

Another insurance business owner, Mill Simmons, said, “There’s going to be some people outside Americus who’ll be paying more insurance premiums and they’ll be calling you; I just want you to know.”

County Administrator Lynn Taylor said that the ISO information and maps were to be posted to the County’s website Wednesday morning. (sumtercountyga.us)

During the board’s work session, which followed, the following items were placed on the consent agenda for the 6 p.m. Tuesday regular meeting.

• Approval of a resolution establishing a policy statement on fund balance for special revenue fund, jail commissary.

• Approval of a resolution establishing a policy statement on fund balance for special revenue fund, correctional institute commissary.

• Approval and acceptance of a subgrant award from GEMA for a performance partnership agreement for 2011-2012 for $19,920 with a $9.960 cash and/or in-kind match.

• Approval of budget amendment to transfer $4,828 from the contingency fund to various pension accounts.

• Approval of an ordinance to create Chapter 47, of Part 11 of the Sumter County Code of Ordinances to be entitled “Public Safety” to provide for repeal of conflicting ordinances. County attorney Bill NeSmith said this deals with Georgia Code which states that the sheriff can designate any place as a jail with guard lines, etc. He said this should also complement the Courthouse security plan.

Other items, discussed in the work session will be voted on as separate items at Tuesday’s meeting, include the following.

• Approval of road maintenance easement for Barnes Road. This will be routine road scraping, at the board’s discretion.

• Approval to hire three career personnel at Fire Station 1, two firefighters and one lieutenant, already budgeted.

• Approval to add two brush/service trucks and missing loose equipment for the Sumter County Fire Department. Fire Chief Skip Starling recommended taking two existing service trucks and outfitting as brush trucks.

• Several budget amendments associated with the year ending June 30, 2011. Ann Barefoot, the County’s chief financial officer, said these amendments are an attempt to get funds redistributed for future budgeting and in preparation for the annual audit in October.

• Approval of budget amendments to SPLOST 2007 other city, agency projects.

• Approval of budget amendments to SPLOST 2007 Sumter County projects.

• Approval of an amendment to the annual agreement between the Sumter County Board of Commissioners and the Department of Health for payment for utilities at the Human Services Building.

• Approval of an intergovernmental agreement between the Sumter County Board of Commissioners and various cities and counties for jail service.

NeSmith said the terms will be the same for all entities and that the charge for one day will be assessed even if the inmate only stays one minute of the day. He said that it is ultimately the responsibility of the constitutional officer, the sheriff, to make sure the terms are enforced.

• Approval of an intergovernmental mutual aid agreement between the Board of Commissioners of Sumter County and the City of Leslie, Crisp County, Dooly County, Lee County, Macon County, Schley County, Terrell County and Webster County and to provide reciprocal fire suppression services, reimbursement rates for said fire suppression services and other stated purposes.

• Request from the City of Americus of Americus Public Works Department for the County to grant the City temporary and permanent easements in order that the City might construct a new drinking water transmission line.