Ridgeville, SC - The town fire station condemned in July after an inspector uncovered serious issues with mold and structural damage. Tonight, council agreed to a contract with the county fire department. The fire board must sign off on the deal and there is some concern whether or not firefighters will have town water available when need.

A small town in Dorchester County is at the center of a five month controversy. In July, the volunteer fire station in the middle of town was shut down, the building deemed unsafe for everyone, let alone a fire department. Chief Herbert Cummings and his team moved about two miles out of town to the Ridgeville county station. But, until tonight, they provided fire coverage to the town without a contract.

“How did we reach this point?” asked one resident.

Those are the concerns of citizens echoed at tonight’s meeting. The Mayor took full responsibility.

“The fire station has been dilapidated for twenty years, and it needed to be torn down but it wasn’t,” said Mayor Williams.

The latest issue deals with town water. Chief Cummings says during a recent house fire a town official questioned why the county fire department was using city water.

“The water department tried to stop us the other day during a house fire, told the firemen they couldn’t fill up water at the old fire station,” said Chief Cummings.

Mayor Williams says water availability will not be an issue down the road.

“I heard that rumor also and it was taken out of context and that is not true. The buck starts with me and nobody can tell them that,” said Mayor Williams.

If that's the case, the fire board says the contract will be finalized. Mayor Williams also handed over a check for nine grand, back pay for service over the last five months. Chief Cummings says that money is needed, he say his budget is close to depleted after the move to the county station.

As for a new station in town, the Mayor says it would cost a half a million dollars, and there is no money for the project at this time.

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