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Surry County weighs mailing 9-1-1 address flyer with tax bills; commissioners ask about wider distribution
Summary
The Surry County Board of Commissioners reviewed a fire chiefs' council request to include a 9-1-1 address-posting flyer inside tax bills. Staff estimated the insert would cost about $3,200; commissioners discussed reach to renters and alternative distribution methods including the post office and local fire departments.
Surry County commissioners on April 21 considered a request from the county's Fire Chiefs Council to include a flyer on clearly posting 9-1-1 address numbers in the county's August tax-bill mailing.
Chris Ganahl, general manager, told the board the county sends about 52,000 tax bills and that including the flyer would cost ‘‘just under $3,200,’’ or roughly 6 cents per insert. Ganahl said the tax office could print and include the flyer at that cost.
The board discussed whether the tax-bill mailing would reach the intended audience. Several commissioners noted that tax bills go only to property owners and would miss renters, and asked staff to explore alternatives such as a postcard mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, placing content on county public information outlets, or distributing flyers through local fire departments.
Commissioners also asked staff to check pricing with the post office, since postmaster-run mailings would reach every mailbox in a delivery route. Board members suggested using multiple channels — tax bills, post office saturation mail, and distribution via the county's roughly 19 volunteer and municipal fire departments — so materials reach residents who do not receive tax statements. One commissioner urged the board to compare costs and reach before deciding whether to pay to put the insert in the tax bills.
No final vote was taken on the flyer insertion at the April 21 meeting. The board agreed to revisit the item at the next meeting after staff checks on post-office costs and other distribution options.
Members of the board framed the discussion as balancing cost with public-safety benefit: the flyer covers items such as clearly posted house numbers and driveway access standards for emergency vehicles. Staff said the flyer language and sample were included in meeting packets.
Provenance: Discussion of the fire chiefs' flyer began when Chris Ganahl introduced the item during the county manager's report; the item concluded with the board asking staff to return with price comparisons and alternative distribution options at the next meeting.
