County staff weigh raising revolving loan cap for volunteer fire/rescue apparatus and facilities

County officials on Sept. 9 discussed proposed changes to the county’s revolving loan program for volunteer fire departments and rescue squads, including raising the current $5 million borrowing-cap to account for inflation and projected apparatus and facility needs.

Deputy County Attorney John Sterling Hauser presented the item as one of six legislative proposals under review by the commissioners for the 2026 session. Hauser told the board that the existing $5 million figure in local law refers to a cap on borrowing authority tied to general obligation bond proceeds and that, after preliminary review, about $4.7 million of that cap remains unused. He said the proposal would increase the cap to an even number—$7 million—to preserve borrowing authority consistent with today’s costs if commissioners choose to use bond financing in the future.

County financial staff cautioned that borrowing authority does…