Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Service Reform topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Surry County moves to countywide fire service district, creates Fire and Rescue Commission
Summary
The Surry County Board of Commissioners voted to begin consolidation of 17 rural fire tax districts into a proposed countywide fire service district capped at 15 cents per $100 of assessed value, and established a Surry County Fire and Rescue Commission to advise on contracts, funding distribution and service standards.
At its Dec. 2, 2025, meeting the Surry County Board of Commissioners voted to begin a process to replace 17 rural fire protection tax districts with a single countywide fire service district and to create a Surry County Fire and Rescue Commission to advise the board and coordinate with volunteer departments.
County Manager Chris Knauth told the board the move is grounded in a 2024 independent study the board commissioned to evaluate fire protection in unincorporated areas. He said the study and subsequent community feedback identified funding disparities among districts, declining volunteerism, and a need to develop a more consistent funding and oversight model.
The resolution the board adopted caps taxation for the proposed countywide service district at 15 cents per $100 of property value, consistent with the alternative procedure in North Carolina General Statute 153A-309.2, and schedules a public hearing on Nov. 3, 2025, to solicit public comment. Knauth said the county will publish required notices and a map of the proposed service district and that municipalities Dobson and Pilot Mountain have been advised they may opt in by passing resolutions and reaching terms with the county.
Knauth said updated contracts will be prepared by the county attorney and distributed to fire departments; existing contracts will expire June 30, 2026, and new contracts should be in place for July 1, 2026, if the board proceeds. He said future revenue distribution would be based on response-district size, population, ISO rating and land-use intensity.
The board also voted to establish a 15-member Fire and Rescue Commission and adopt proposed rules of procedure to provide ongoing oversight and recommendations. Knauth and other staff said the commission will include active fire-service members, citizen members and ex officio county staff.
Commissioners said the change is intended to create a more equitable funding system and to incentivize ISO improvements that can reduce insurance costs for property owners. The board followed the county's budget calendar as a reason to begin the process now so any structural changes can be considered during fiscal-year 2027 budget development.
Both the resolution and the motion to establish the commission were approved by the board during the meeting.
