Task force urges Brewster County to seek voter approval for Emergency Services District

A task force charged with studying emergency services told a joint meeting of the city council and commissioners court that it unanimously recommends calling a November election to create an Emergency Services District (ESD) to fund fire and EMS services in North Brewster County. Mark Rose, chair of the task force, said the recommendation follows three town halls and consultations with providers and legal counsel.

“We either don't have an EMS service for the community,” Rose said, describing how the current provider will no longer deliver the subsidized level of service the county and city have paid for. He said the task force recommends the county call an election and that the city formally opt in so the jurisdictions present a united front to voters.

The task force emphasized that an ESD is a political subdivision under state law and that creating one would dedicate property-tax revenue strictly for emergency services. Rose said the tax rate for an ESD is capped by law at 10¢, and that a district organized for fire and EMS would be governed by an elected five-member board appointed initially by the county. The presenters noted a citizens' petition of at least 100 resident signatures is required to trigger the county's consideration to call an election.

Council members and commissioners voted to continue working with the county and the task force to pursue the ESD recommendation. The bodies did not call an election at the meeting; officials said the next steps include petition gathering, public hearings, and transition planning if voters approve.