by Scotty Wampler
News Editor
      Questions Knox Supervisor Terry Hall has raised about the spending practices of the Knox Creek Volunteer Fire Department were met with fiery criticisms Monday.
      The department was asked via letter from the board of supervisors following last month's regular board meeting to supply a number of documents for examination, including a copy of its corporation papers, current inventory, bylaws, meeting minutes from the past three years and checking account statements.
      Those records were supplied prior to Monday's meeting.
      "You have stated you have had some complaints as to the operation of the department," fire department representative Gary Charles told Hall. "Do you see anything we're doing wrong, Mr. Hall?"
      Members of the board discussed the fire department during closed session in April, citing a need to seek legal advice.
      Charles said Hall has questioned how $45,000 in public funds have been spent by the department over the last three years. Each fire department in the county receives a $15,000 stipend annually to cover bills and other expenses. Hall reportedly has suggested recently changes could be made at the department if its records were not in order.
      "What you conveniently left out, Mr. Hall, is that we never have had control of that money," Charles said Monday. "It remains in the county's funds [to pay bills submitted by the department]. We don't have anything to do with that $15,000 other than submitting the bills."
      "It looks as though you are trying to slander the names of those [who run the fire department]," Charles added.
        Charles said he was concerned recruitment efforts for the department would be affected by the probe into its records.

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