BENTON – The Benton City Council is expected to discuss and possibly decide the fate of the fire department’s Dalmation, Knox, when it meets Monday morning at 8:30 at the Campbell Building.

Knox has been with the fire department for two years after being rescued from an animal shelter in Jefferson County.

Just recently, the city’s Public Safety Commissioner, Don Storey, pushed to remove Knox from the fire department because he was never approved by the previous City Council and could be deemed a liability.

The Benton community has taken to Facebook and other social media to support the fire department and Knox, with some wanting Knox returned to the fire department.

Benton Firefighters LiUNA Local 773 thanked the community and the region as a whole on Facebook for their support for them and Knox over the past several days. They hope this situation will have a positive outcome after speaking among themselves and to city officials. They also thanked Storey for listening to their concerns and considering bringing Knox back to the fire department.