Mount Airy council restores $43,000 to volunteer fire company after public hearing on FY26 budget

Mount Airy, Md. — The Mount Airy Town Council on Monday adopted its fiscal 2025–26 budget after a public hearing in which members of the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company urged the town to restore a cut to their annual contribution.

The hearing and subsequent council debate followed public remarks from volunteer firefighters and the company’s officers, who said the volunteer force faces rising equipment costs and relies on the town’s contribution to maintain 24/7 rescue and fire service in and around Mount Airy.

The fire company’s treasurer, Jimmy Linton, told the council he has handled the company’s finances for decades and urged the town to maintain a long‑standing funding precedent. Linton said the town historically committed “10% of the real property tax per year” to the volunteer fire company and warned that recent budget reductions would strain the company as it replaces aging apparatus.

Anthony Russo, fire chief of the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company, told the council the company has been replacing aging equipment delayed by the pandemic and has signed contracts to buy two Seagrave fire vehicles. “The cost for both of these pieces, as you heard Mr. Linton say, not including equipment, is $2,500,000,” Russo said, describing the scale of planned purchases and the operational importance of those vehicles on interstates and rail corridors that cross the town’s response area.

Residents and volunteer leaders listed other costs and local fundraising challenges. Resident Doug Alexander said reduced town support could force the company to charge for response calls or sell community assets such as carnival grounds. Eddie Godwin, a volunteer, told council members, “We really count on this,” and urged restoration of funding.

Mayor Carl Hushauer said the town had reserved funds this year to support public safety and invited the fire company to make a formal request if they needed additional money during fiscal 2026. “If the MAVFC has issues during 2026, fiscal year, you should approach us and we’ll find a way to help you,” Hushauer said at the hearing.

Council debate focused on balancing the town’s broader capital priorities, including a planned police station that prompted a tax increase last year. Council member Steve Demoter proposed restoring additional funding to the fire company during the budget vote and later moved to add money back to their stipend. After discussion among council members and staff about funding sources, the council approved a final amendment reallocating $43,000 from the town’s public safety line item to the fire company, making the town contribution $243,000 for fiscal 2026. The mayor and council also said they would schedule follow-up meetings with fire company leadership and town finance staff to review the company’s financial needs and documentation.

Officials and volunteers emphasized that the funding change applies to the current fiscal year only and that the council expects a transparent review of the company’s financial needs to inform future budgets. Council members noted that while some neighboring towns give smaller sums to their volunteer companies, Mount Airy’s call volume and the scope of services — including rescue operations on Interstate 70 and a ladder truck — make the Mount Airy unit’s needs larger than many peers.

Votes at a glance: the council adopted ordinance 2025‑4 to set tax rates for fiscal year 2025–26 (no change from the prior year) and adopted ordinance 2025‑5 to approve the FY 2025–26 budget with multiple amendments, including a $200,000 increase for the South Main Street roundabout project, a $10,000 allocation for Rails-to-Trails West planning from Parks reserves, and the $43,000 restoration to the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company (bringing the town donation to $243,000). All motions were approved by voice vote.

Council members and staff said the town will offer an open process for the fire company to present line‑item needs and supporting documentation so that future budget decisions are based on a formal needs assessment rather than longstanding practice alone. The mayor said tax revenue increases from last year remain committed to the police station project and that any additional support for the fire company beyond the adopted budget would require a future amendment if the company documents a shortfall.

The council closed the public hearing on the budget and immediately convened its regular meeting, during which it approved multiple capital awards and introduced budget housekeeping amendments for other projects.