Hunt County Commissioners on Friday reviewed a proposal to establish a South Hunt County Emergency Services District that would consolidate volunteer fire-department coverage in parts of Precincts 2 and 3 and around the city of Quinlan.

Judge Sloball presided over the special session and invited a county staff member to present background on recent changes prompting the petition. The presenter said growth and a reconfiguration of local volunteer fire services led the South Hunt County Volunteer Fire Department to begin pursuing an ESD, with planning to start in January 2026. "The court does not approve the ESD. ESD goes to the people for a vote in the area that's affected," the presenter said, emphasizing that any district must be approved by affected voters.

Why it matters: officials said a consolidated ESD could eliminate ‘‘holes’’ in coverage, improve equipment, training and coordination, and produce taxpayer savings. The presenter cited that the county currently provides $5,000 a month — $60,000 a year — to each volunteer fire department and estimated a combined reconfiguration could produce roughly $300,000–$435,000 in county savings or cost avoidance, including about $135,000 in equipment the county would avoid issuing if departments consolidate.

Commissioners and staff repeatedly flagged operational and legal steps that must be completed before any election. County advisers warned that petitions to create an ESD must include precise, licensed meets-and-bounds legal descriptions prepared by a surveyor; earlier local petitions failed on technical map issues, the adviser said, and a flawed description can invite an election contest that could delay and potentially undo results.

The discussion also covered the practical logistics of a January timeline: the county is deploying emergency radios and AMR (the ambulance/dispatch provider) is moving to a truck-numbering dispatch system at the same time. Staff and advisers urged coordination, saying changes to district footprints affect AMR dispatching, radio assignments and contractual notice periods. The legal adviser recommended allowing at least a 60-day operational buffer rather than a 30-day cutoff to avoid service disruptions.

Officials noted some community service relationships would need separate coordination. Hawk/Hot/Halk Cove (as referenced in the meeting) currently contracts with Quinlan for ambulance/fire service; the court discussed ensuring those contracts and hospital medical-director arrangements are transferred or otherwise maintained to avoid interruptions if county funding to Quinlan is paused.

No formal action to create or approve an ESD was taken at the special session. The presenter and legal adviser offered to provide a checklist, a proposed map and contract language to the court that afternoon, and commissioners asked staff to prepare materials for a decision at the next regular meeting. The court adjourned at 09:45 after a unanimous voice motion to adjourn.