Surry County adopts countywide fire protection service district, excluding Mount Airy and Elkin

The Surry County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 3 adopted a resolution defining and establishing a countywide fire protection service district that will retire taxation in the existing 17 rural fire protection districts and apply a uniform tax rate cap of 15 cents. The resolution takes effect July 1, 2026.

County Manager Chris Kanoff reviewed the process that began in September: the board commissioned an independent study to evaluate the county's volunteer-based fire model after years of concerns about funding disparities, declining volunteerism and inconsistent apparatus availability. Kanoff said the proposed model would collect fire service revenues from a single source and distribute them on an "equitable basis grounded in the size of your response district, the population of your response district, your response district's ISO, and land use intensity."

During the public hearing Mike Callaway, deputy chief and treasurer of the State Road Fire Department, praised the county's outreach materials and urged inclusion of volunteer departments during the transition. Callaway recommended that any new fire commission consist of at least five members (two chosen by a fire chief's council and two citizens at large) and that the fire marshal and emergency services director serve as technical, nonvoting members; he also asked to review the proposed contract and funding formula before it is finalized.

The resolution read aloud at the meeting cites North Carolina General Statutes 153A-301, 153A-302 and 153A-309.2 as authorizing the board to establish and finance a service district. The resolution states the district will encompass all of Surry County except the City of Mount Airy and the Town of Elkin and notes that the towns of Dobson and Pilot Mountain adopted resolutions opting in to the proposed district.

Commissioner discussion emphasized ensuring transparency and communication with volunteer departments during the transition. Commissioner Hyatt moved to adopt the resolution; Commissioner Harris seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.

The board scheduled a closed session for legal and personnel matters following the public meeting. The resolution sets the effective date of the new countywide fire protection service district as 07/01/2026; the record did not include a resolution number or further contract text, which the board said would be provided in subsequent steps.