The Greenville County Committee on Finance approved a Dunklin Fire Rescue District request for a millage increase after the district's chief described the need to fund apparatus purchases and move toward 24-hour staffing.

Quintarious Thomas identified himself as chief of Dunklin Fire Rescue District and said the district covers about 44 square miles in the southern end of the county. "The increase would be for $41,000. It's, 3.5 mills," Thomas said, explaining the request would support apparatus purchases and a move to 24-hour coverage by the end of the budget year.

Thomas described current staffing as relying on volunteers overnight and said the district currently has coverage gaps. He said the requested increase would improve reliability: "we're working to get, every day to have 24 hour coverage." Committee members responded supportively; Councilor Collins, the vice chair, said he looked forward to the 24-hour coverage.

Chief Thomas also gave estimates of taxpayer impact. In the transcript he said the current mill value "right now for us is $11,811" and said the impact per $100,000 of assessed value was "around $4," and later in the discussion said "$14" in an example — the transcript does not reconcile those two per-$100,000 figures. A motion to approve the millage increase carried by voice vote; the committee recorded "the ayes have it."