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Bulloch County consolidates fire tax districts into single countywide district
Summary
The commission voted to terminate the Statesboro and rural fire tax districts and establish a single Bulloch County Fire Tax District effective July 1; commissioners will set the millage rate later when adopting the millage.
The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously May 20 to terminate two existing fire tax districts—the five‑mile Statesboro Fire Tax District and the rural fire tax district—and to create a single Bulloch County Fire Tax District effective July 1.
County Attorney Jeff Akins explained the change follows the termination of the intergovernmental agreement under which the city of Statesboro provided fire protection inside a five‑mile travel distance of city fire stations. He told commissioners that because the Statesboro agreement will end June 30, “there will no longer be a need for the Statesboro Fire Tax District, and the approval presented resolution will terminate the Statesboro fire tax district as of 07/01/2025.”
Staff said the actions taken remove two separate tax district structures and replace them with one countywide district for unincorporated areas and for the municipalities that contract for county fire protection (Brooklyn, Portal and Register). The board will set the millage rate for that new district when it sets the county’s maintenance and operations millage in August.
County staff cautioned the board that equalizing or lowering millage for the newly consolidated district was not guaranteed. The county manager noted the tentative budget left the rate at 3.0 mills to ensure sufficient funding to pay recently hired personnel to serve the entire district; he said lowering the rate to 2.7 mills could “greatly strain the ability to pay the current employees.” The board approved resolutions to terminate the two older districts and to establish the new Bulloch County Fire Tax District; the votes on the two termination resolutions and the establishing resolution were unanimous.
Commissioners discussed that the consolidation does not itself set a tax rate but clarifies the tax district framework so the county can allocate resources uniformly outside the city of Statesboro. Staff and commissioners said they would return in August with millage recommendations as part of the budget process.
