Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Volunteer Fire topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Volunteer fire chief urges county to address rising costs; board discusses grant and tax-relief language
Summary
A Washburg volunteer fire chief told the Accomack County Board of Supervisors that rising equipment and operating costs are straining volunteer companies. Board members and county staff discussed a governor-proposed firefighter equipment grant and the county's volunteer tax-relief wording but took no formal action.
Sean Fait, chief of the Watchesburg Lawton Fire Company, told the Accomack County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 15 that rising costs threaten volunteer fire operations across the county. "On 02/06/2023, the county administrator presented a budget proposal that had the word 'increase' 79 times," Fait said, adding that volunteer companies were not mentioned in those documents. He listed higher fuel, insurance and equipment costs and criticized the county's current volunteer tax-relief ordinance wording that he said excludes some qualified volunteers.
Fait asked the board to reconsider language in the local ordinance that removed the phrase from state code describing a qualifying volunteer as someone who "regularly responds on calls or regularly performs other duties for the emergency medical services or the fire department." He said some of his members who perform extensive work do not qualify under the ordinance as written.
County Administrator Mike Mason and other board members discussed possible funding sources during the administrator's report. Mason noted a governor's proposed statewide $5 million grant for firefighter protective equipment in the upcoming state budget and said staff had not yet reviewed eligibility details. "Right now, we haven't even looked at the details of it because 1, it hasn't been adopted," Mason said. He added that county staff plan to consider a grants administration function to assist with applications.
Board members acknowledged existing county support for volunteers. One supervisor explained that the county budget automatically earmarks a small, fixed portion of the real-estate tax rate to volunteer fire companies and the school board when revenues increase. Several supervisors encouraged staff to include volunteer support in upcoming budget discussions.
No motion or formal board action on volunteer funding or a change to the tax-relief ordinance was taken at the meeting. The subject was raised during public comment and later discussed as part of the county administrator's report; supervisors said they expect volunteers and staff to be part of budget deliberations in February.
Ending: The matter will remain under consideration during the county's FY 2026 budget process; staff said they will review grant eligibility if the governor's proposal is adopted and will report back to the board.
