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MURFREESBORO – Barbecue lovers are in luck.

The Murfreesboro Fire Department is planning to bring back the town’s annual Pork Fest event next year. Fire Chief Harrison Revelle made the announcement during Murfreesboro’s town council meeting on Aug. 9.

In the past, the event was a fundraiser for the Jefcoat Museum and was last held in 2019. Revelle said they spoke with the previous organizers and received permission for the fire department to take on the event going forward.

The date is set for June 1, 2024 at the Murfree Center, and Revelle said the event will be registered with the NC Pork Council as it was in previous years. They plan to also host a car show, raffle, and live music during the event. Revelle stated they are still in the planning stages right now and looking for more sponsors to help out.

Also during the Aug. 9 meeting, the council approved spending money on repairs for the fire department’s ladder truck.

Revelle explained that the truck had been out of service for approximately four weeks already, but they had been waiting for repairs to be completed on another truck first. The needed repairs are for the ladder truck’s engine. The repairs will be done by Fire Connections in Rocky Mount.

The estimated cost is $14,124.26, which Revelle stated will use up much of the department’s maintenance budget for the fiscal year.

Council member David Brown motioned to approve the repairs, and Craig Dennis seconded. The vote passed unanimously without any further discussion.

Later during the meeting, Chief Revelle mentioned during his department report that he’d like to get a capital truck savings plan started, so that they’ll have funds ready for future repair costs. He also reported that they are currently receiving equipment that was purchased with funds from a 50/50 grant from the NC Office of State Fire Marshall.

Revelle also reported that the department currently has 17 members, including one junior member at the moment.

The town council approved adding a junior firefighter program in 2021, and Revelle said it has been successful so far. The program is open to 16- and 17-year-olds, and they can become full members once they turn 18.

“Volunteers are hard to come by in anything,” Revelle said, and encouraged anyone interested in joining the department to reach out. “Our doors are always open.”