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Fire chiefs and residents urge board to establish fire district to stabilize services
Summary
Fire leaders and residents urged supervisors to approve a countywide fire district as the first step toward a tax levy to fund paid staffing, training and equipment amid declining volunteers and rising costs; board scheduled a work session to present options.
The board opened a public hearing on creating a countywide fire district, a legal step the county would need before imposing a levy to fund fire services. Chief Tomer, who identified himself as a longtime volunteer and fire chief, told the board that volunteer ranks are declining, the cost of vehicles and equipment has risen sharply and the county cannot sustain current service levels without new funding.
"Our apparatus, a simple fire truck, is almost $750,000. Outfitting a firefighter is over $5,000," Chief Tomer said, arguing that volunteers cannot cover rising costs and dayshift coverage will require paid staff. He urged the board to consider volunteer discounts and to avoid placing the entire burden of unrelated items (like a countywide radio system) onto fire and EMS levies.
Residents who spoke during the hearing echoed those concerns and also warned about the tax burden. Sonny Abbott, speaking as a resident, pressed for transparency on how levies would interact with the current budget and whether budgeted amounts already in the county general fund would be reduced if a levy were adopted. The board and staff told the public that levies would be set in future budget decisions and that the board intends to present several options at a public work session before any rate is proposed.
