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Commissioners propose 5% across‑the‑board bump for volunteer fire departments amid concerns over rising costs
Summary
The commissioners court discussed a proposal to increase annual funding to volunteer fire departments by 5% and outlined per‑department dollar changes; the court asked staff to incorporate the increase into the proposed budget.
Kerr County commissioners on Monday discussed and tentatively proposed a 5% across‑the‑board increase in county funding for volunteer fire departments to help cover rising costs for equipment, training and operations.
The court outlined that the 5% increase would apply to the county’s customary VFD disbursements for in‑county departments, producing specific dollar increases for each recipient. Court discussion named Divide, Turtle Creek, Centerpoint, Comfort, Mountain Home, Hunt and Ingram as recipients, with a 5% uplift equating to roughly $1,935.50 for several line items; smaller contractors such as Tierra Linda and Castle Lake were given proportionate increases. A commissioner urged the increase as recognition that some departments rely heavily on county support and that equipment and operating costs have risen.
“Some kind of increase is warranted,” one commissioner said, noting that not all volunteer departments have the same local tax base or ESD funding and that rural departments can be constrained by fundraising capacity. The increases were described as an operational decision to be included in the budget; the court did not take a formal final vote on the matter Monday and said the increase would be incorporated into the budget documents and returned for formal action.
Commissioners also discussed prior investments — including a previously funded swiftwater rescue boat — and observed that some departments supplement county support with grants and fundraising while others depend more heavily on the county. The court instructed staff to reflect the 5% increase across the affected line items in budget materials for eventual formal approval.
