MURFREESBORO – The Murfreesboro Town Council is exploring what to do about a local emergency services operation that doesn’t offer emergency services.

At a Tuesday afternoon meeting, Councilman Bill Theodorakis inquired of Town Administrator Molly Eubank about the status of the Murfreesboro Rescue Squad.

According to Theodorakis, the rescue squad has not answered emergency calls in the past two years and it has caused some confusion among local citizens.

&uot;I know for a certainty that they are not responding to calls but they still are listed in the phone book,&uot; Theodorakis said. &uot;I think we need to clarify what their status actually is.&uot;

Theodorakis was concerned that Murfreesboro citizens are still in the habit of sending financial donations to the organization.

&uot;They have given good service in the past,&uot; Theodorakis said. &uot;But if they are not offering emergency services at this time, I think our citizens should be made aware.&uot;

Mayor Lynn Johnson said that she and Eubank had tried on several occasions, without success, to contact Murfreesboro Rescue Squad officials.

&uot;They are not answering the telephone at their published number,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;I’m really not sure was their status is.&uot;

Due to the squad being registered as a non-profit organization, Murfreesboro Attorney Robert Lee said there was not much for the council to concern itself with.

&uot;As far as I know they are a private company with ‘501-C’ status,&uot; Lee said. &uot;Even if they are not offering service, the town really has no say in that matter.&uot;

Johnson indicated that she and Eubank had been made aware that the property that the Rescue Squad occupies, which is at 112 Sycamore Street, might be owned by the town of Murfreesboro.

Councilwoman Sarah Wallace said the status of the property is an avenue the city needs to explore.

&uot;Right now our concern is the real property,&uot; Wallace said. &uot;I don’t know if that organization is still interested in being a part of the region’s emergency services, but we may need the property if they are not operating.&uot;

The town of Murfreesboro has not included the rescue squad in their budget for the past two years.

The council speculated whether or not the group was still certified to be first responders, but was not able to make that determination without a response from rescue squad officials.