Nottoway supervisors open hearing on countywide fire and EMS districts as residents warn of staffing, tax pain

The Nottoway County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on proposals to establish countywide fire and emergency medical services districts and the option of future tax levies, drawing residents and emergency personnel who warned that staffing shortages risk lapses in 9-1-1 coverage while others urged transparency about tax impacts.

The proposals would create a countywide fire district and a separate EMS district so levies could be set for each if the board decides to do so. Board leaders said establishing the districts is a prerequisite for imposing a levy later; a county official told the room the process would be discussed at a public work session scheduled for May 8 with a possible public hearing on the budget May 22 and budget adoption May 29.

Residents who spoke at the hearing described daily hardship and questioned whether property owners alone should shoulder a levy for services used by everyone who travels through the county. Christian Romano, a certified EMT and Crewe resident, urged supervisors to prioritize care: "Our community deserves reliable advanced…