ESD PETITION FOR CHAPPELL HILL, MEYERSVILLE VFDs TALLIES 186 SIGNATURES

  

The Chappell Hill and Meyersville Volunteer Fire Departments (VFDs) have surpassed their goal for signatures on a petition to place an emergency services district (ESD) proposal on the ballot this fall.

Chappell Hill VFD captain and president Dustin Brown said the final tally of signatures received and submitted is 186.  The departments needed at least 100 names by today’s (Friday) deadline in order to bring the petition to Washington County Commissioners with the intent of calling an election for the ESD in November.

Brown, who said on Tuesday morning that the departments had about 55 signatures at the time, stated there was a “huge influx” of people who reached out to them in the following days.  He said, “A silent majority in the community has voiced their support for our two agencies and this effort to establish an ESD.”

The ESD would become the primary source of funding for the Chappell Hill and Meyersville VFDs by levying an ad valorem tax of no more than 10 cents per $100 valuation on residents who live within their service territories.  That would exclude the City of Brenham’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.

County Judge John Durrenberger confirmed receipt of the petition but said it is still pending review and verification with the county attorney.   

The departments have requested that commissioners take up the petition at their meeting on July 16^th, where they would move to accept the petition and schedule a public hearing.  That public hearing, pending approval of the petition at the July 16^th meeting, would tentatively be scheduled for August 13^th and would be when commissioners officially vote on whether to call an election for the ESD.