Wake County presents plan to fold Wendell Fire Department into town government; board authorizes manager to pursue talks
Loading...
Summary
Wake County officials briefed the Wendell Board of Commissioners on a proposed merger that would bring the not‑for‑profit Wendell Fire Department under town control, outlining a data‑driven cost‑share model, estimated town share of roughly 55% of a ~$6 million budget, employee benefit changes, and a recommended consultant and timeline; the board gave informal authorization to the town manager to pursue negotiations.
Wake County fire officials on Monday laid out a plan that could move Wendell’s not‑for‑profit fire department into town government, giving the Town of Wendell direct control over fire operations, staffing and taxation.
Daryl Alford, director of Wake County Fire and Emergency Management, told the Wendell Town Board the county created a single fire tax district in 1998 to address inequities in local fire funding. Using calendar‑year 2024 data, Alford said the Wendell Fire Department handled 2,878 calls countywide, 1,233 of which were inside Wendell, and that the department’s full, all‑in annual cost including debt is “a little over $6,000,000.” Under the county’s current cost‑share model, Alford said, the town’s share of that total would be nearly 55 percent under last year’s numbers.
The presentation reviewed the elements used to allocate cost — service demand (call volume), population, property valuation, area and heated square footage — and noted those data are pulled from CAD (the 9‑1‑1 computer aided dispatch system), Wake County real estate records and planning/GIS. Alford said the county revisits the cost‑share annually and uses a rolling three‑year average to avoid spikes.
Board members pressed staff on several practical implications, including whether the town would need additional human resources and finance staff, how payroll and benefits would be administered, and whether employees could access municipal retirement benefits such as a bridge to Medicare for long‑tenured workers. Alford said fire administrative staff roles would move to town payroll and that joining the municipal system could improve employee retention because many firefighters prefer municipal retirement benefits.
Alford also described fiscal impacts to the county fire tax district if Wendell were removed; using the county’s model he said the district would experience a net loss of roughly $919,000 based on current allocations. He emphasized the county and the Wendell Fire Department have discussed the issue for years and recommended hiring NC Fire Chiefs Consulting to prepare merger documentation and minimize legal costs to both parties.
There was no formal ordinance or vote on the merger at Monday’s meeting. An unidentified board member asked for an informal motion to authorize the town manager to pursue negotiations; board members signaled support and the mayor acknowledged the authorization. Alford said the county and fire board recommended a target merger date of July 1, 2027, to allow time for study, agreements and implementation.
Next steps described by county staff include: detailed cost and staffing studies, negotiating interlocal agreements, identifying any required town positions or budget adjustments, and preparing documents for legal review. Town officials said they will bring any negotiated agreements, interlocal contracts and recommended implementation details back to the board for formal action.
Authority and data references cited during the presentation included the Wake County resolution establishing the fire tax district (1998), subsequent adjustments to the tax cap, and the county’s annual budget and CAD data used for service‑demand calculations.
The board did not adopt any ordinance or change tax policy at the meeting; officials asked staff to return with more detailed fiscal projections and a negotiation plan.
