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Residents voice opposition to new levies; supervisors approve state fire pass-through funds
Summary
Public commenters urged the Board to reconsider recent levies and to protect low-income and senior residents; supervisors discussed levy impacts and approved a state Department of Fire Programs pass-through allocation of $53,792 to the county's three volunteer fire departments to be divided equally.
Several residents on Tuesday urged Nottoway County supervisors to reconsider new tax levies, stressing hardship for seniors and low-income households, while volunteer fire and EMS leaders explained how levy funds are being used. After public comment and a short board discussion, supervisors approved a state fire pass-through allocation that will divide $53,792 equally among the county's three volunteer fire departments.
Public concerns about levies Multiple residents told the board the levies enacted earlier this year imposed hardship on those on fixed incomes and that some levies were implemented without a countywide ballot measure. David Gibbs told supervisors his taxes rose by more than $300 and said the levies should have been put to a public vote. Susan Fee, a 74-year-old resident, urged the board to consider "urgent" tax relief for senior residents who live on small Social Security checks. Robin Reese suggested a per-household fee for fire and rescue rather than a levy based on property value.
Chief Joey Chennett, chief of the Crewe Volunteer Fire Department, said the county's three fire departments had not requested a change to their operations and that "as far as the tax levy . . . the three fire departments has had no increase in the last three years." He said the change was an administrative funding mechanism and that department funding for operations remained steady.
Supervisor discussion and preliminary responses Board members said they heard constituents' concerns and discussed options for addressing senior relief and levy structure in future work sessions. Supervisor Toth noted that ambulance billing collections are limited and that EMS revenue collection rates (billing collections on ambulance runs) are historically far from 100 percent; he told the board EMS billing collection is "about 97 to 98 percent" (comment attributed during discussion). Supervisors emphasized that volunteer and professional emergency services are costly to staff and equip and cautioned that threatening volunteers or volunteers withdrawing could reduce local emergency response.
State fire funds approved On a consent item, County Emergency Services recommended distributing $53,792 in state Department of Fire Programs pass-through funds equally to the three volunteer fire departments in the county, a distribution of $17,930.67 each. The board approved the distribution 5-0; the county administrator said the funds are state pass-through dollars and not county general-fund revenue.
Board action on agenda and next steps The board voted to add a short, timed discussion about public delegations to the evening agenda and held a roughly 10-minute conversation with supervisors noting the need for more data and follow-up. Supervisors asked staff to provide more details for senior-exemption programs, carryover budget effects and EMS funding alternatives at a forthcoming work session.
Why it matters Public concern about tax levies, especially where levies affect personal-property and real-estate tax bills, is a recurring local issue. Supervisors said they will consider targeted relief options for seniors and continue to explore funding models for volunteer and professionalized emergency services.
Sources: public testimony, remarks by Crewe Volunteer Fire Department chief Joey Chennett, and County Emergency Services staff.
