Bradford County board reaches consensus on $167 maximum fire-assessment rate after workshop

Bradford County Commissioners and fire officials on March 18 agreed in principle to set a maximum fire-assessment rate that would equal a 50% recovery assumption — a $167 annual residential cap, $0.11 per square foot for commercial properties and a $47 fee for vacant parcels — and to proceed with the formal notice and hearing process necessary to place the assessment on the tax roll.

The fire-rescue presentation, delivered by Bradford County Fire Chief Ben Carter, outlined how the department reached its current staffing and apparatus shortfalls, the county’s response times and how closing stations would affect residents’ Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classifications and insurance premiums. Chief Carter also described which property types would be charged and the county’s grievance process for disputed assessments.

Why it matters: Commissioners said they want a permanent, dedicated revenue source for fire and emergency medical services rather than relying on one-time unassigned fund balance transfers. Staff and the consultant from Stantec emphasized legal noticing requirements and timing: once an initial assessment resolution is adopted, the county must mail property-specific notices and allow a 20-day period before a public hearing on final rates.

Chief Carter described the operational shortfalls that drove the…