TIFTON – Tift County officials were served a lawsuit on behalf of the city of Tifton this week, filed in court on Aug. 3.

According to the suit, Tift County terminated the inter-local agreement between the county and the city on June 30 for the joint provision of fire suppression and protection services. The suit states that on June 13, Tift County indicated its intention to perform extrication and rescue services inside the corporate limits of Tifton.

The city informed the county on June 21 that the Tifton Fire Department would perform those services on operations involving automobile accidents after July 1, the first official date of operation for the newly-formed Tift County Fire/Rescue.

The suit further states that during a joint city-county meeting on June 29, the city again made it clear they would provide fire protection services and emergency rescue services for motor vehicle collisions, including extrication services, within the city limits. Notice was again given on June 30.

As of July 1, the Tifton Fire Department has continued to provide fire protection and emergency rescue services, including responding to motor vehicle accidents and extrication services, inside the city limits, as it had prior to the termination of the inter-local agreement, the suit states.

The suit states that according to the Georgia Constitution, no county may provide these services without a contract with the municipality or county affected.

Tifton has no such contract with Tift County Fire/Rescue.

The suit calls for Tift County Fire/Rescue to refrain from providing fire protection services and emergency rescue services inside the corporate limits of Tifton.