Hidalgo County court approves petitions, calls elections to create two emergency service districts and awards ambulance contracts

The Hidalgo County Commissioners Court opened public hearings and voted to approve petitions to create two new emergency service districts for portions of Precinct 3 and to call elections on those measures.

Commissioner Isaac Solana introduced the measures and asked the court to conduct public hearings and consider proposed ESDs under Chapter 775 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. “An emergency service district is a local political subdivision of the state of Texas that is created by an election to provide fire and EMS services or both,” attorney Christine Ramon of Koechler & Peeler told the court.

Why it matters: Precinct 3 currently lacks its own ESD, and county officials and some residents said other parts of the county have subsidized emergency services into the precinct. Commissioner Solana said the change would address what he called an “inequity” where other taxpayers subsidize services for Precinct 3.

During the public hearing on ESD No. 5, which the court discussed as an EMS-only district, resident Fern McClarty asked for data on call volumes and how the proposed district’s service levels compared with existing districts. County staff and presenters said call-volume data are held by the independent districts and municipal providers and would need to be requested from those entities. Christine Ramon explained the statutory formation steps: a petition with signatures from at least 100 qualified voters, submission to the county judge, public hearing notice requirements and, if the court finds the district feasible, an election to be held.

The court then approved orders recommending the creation of ESD No. 5 and ESD No. 6 and called elections for each. For ESD No. 5, the court accepted the proposed boundary that would include the unincorporated portions of Precinct 3 not located in any city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and the municipal boundaries/ETJs of Alton, La Joya, Mission and Palmhurst as specified in the agenda. For ESD No. 6, the court approved a boundary that coincides with ESD No. 5’s proposed footprint but limited the district’s purpose to fire protection only. The court recorded motions and voice votes approving both petitions and calling elections.

Separately, the court approved procurement actions for emergency ambulance services. The court accepted the best and final negotiated offers and approved contracts with Skyline EMS Inc. for emergency ambulance services for Precinct 1 and for Precinct 3. County staff explained the ambulance contracts are county agreements and include standard termination and modification clauses in case service districts or other arrangements change in the future.

What the court did (formal actions): The court (1) opened public hearings on ESD No. 5 (EMS) and ESD No. 6 (fire); (2) approved orders granting the petitions and calling elections for ESD No. 5 and ESD No. 6 under Chapter 775 of the Texas Health and Safety Code; and (3) approved negotiated ambulance service contracts with Skyline EMS Inc. for Precinct 1 and Precinct 3. Votes were taken by voice; the court announced the motions carried.

Context and limits: County staff and counsel repeatedly noted that formation of an ESD requires a petition and a separate majority election before any district can levy taxes or exercise powers. The court and counsel also said operational data (call volumes) for existing ESDs and municipal responders are maintained by those separate entities and were not provided as part of the hearing.

The court did not set tax rates or vendor performance metrics in today’s votes; those would be matters for later contracts, budgets and, if created, district boards elected after the proposed elections.