WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS VOTE 3-2 TO CALL ELECTION FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT

  

Residents in the Chappell Hill and Meyersville Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) service areas will be able to vote this spring on establishing an emergency services district.

Washington County Commissioners voted 3-2 today (Tuesday) to call an election for the ESD, which will now appear on the May 3^rd ballot for those living in the Chappell Hill and Meyersville fire districts.

The ESD is proposed to levy an ad valorem tax of up to $0.10 per $100 valuation on those residents, not counting people living in the City of Brenham’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.  

Commissioners Kirk Hanath and Candice Bullock voted against the item. 

The split vote came after a public hearing where over 10 citizens shared comments.  A majority of those expressed support for the proposed ESD, including Travis Cook, who said fire departments have long struggled with dilapidated equipment and that they, along with the communities they serve, deserve better.

One of two residents who spoke against the proposal, Victor Murski, said an ESD would create opportunities for wrongful or wasteful spending and called another tax “ridiculous”, given the current struggles with inflation.

Chappell Hill VFD captain and president Dustin Brown said the comment he has heard most during this process, both from commissioners and the public, is “We’re better together than we are separate.”  He said the fire departments are indeed better together when it comes to serving the citizens, but for funding, the departments would not be here making this request if they were financially stronger together.  He said the Chappell and Meyersville departments hope to start a trend for other departments in the county to follow.

Washington Volunteer Fire Department Chief Chris Casada said he supports the Chappell Hill and Meyersville VFDs in this effort, stating that the existing model is not sustainable for volunteers and leaves the community vulnerable.

Commissioner Hanath acknowledged that there are ways county government can improve to better fund volunteer fire departments, but said there are other avenues beyond an ESD.

Commissioner Dustin Majewski made the motion to call the election, saying this country was founded on providing elections and giving the people the right to vote, and that the residents of that area of the county should be able to make this decision.  His motion was seconded by Commissioner Misti Hartstack Corn, who said while no one wants another tax, everyone deserves the right to go to the ballot box and voice their opinion.  After Commissioner Hanath and Commissioner Bullock voted against, County Judge John Durrenberger served as the tiebreaker vote in favor. 

Commissioner Bullock explained that her vote is not because she does not believe in the ESD altogether, but she feels this is “premature” at this time, since the county only recently began receiving full operating budget breakdowns for each of the volunteer fire departments to see what their needs are and determine if more funding can be given.  She also said she would like to see that if a prospective ESD was implemented, it would be for the whole county rather than several individual ESDs.  Further, she pointed to a county assistance district – which still requires voter approval but would use sales taxes instead of property taxes – as a possible alternative to an ESD.

February 14^th is the last day for an election to be ordered for a measure on the May 3^rd ballot.  The last day to register to vote is Thursday, April 3^rd.  Early voting opens on Tuesday, April 22^nd and runs through Tuesday, April 29^th. 

In other business, commissioners:

• Approved going out for bids for the EMS District 6 satellite response station at Lake Somerville.  Bids will be due and opened on February 6^th at 10 a.m., and will be accepted at a later date.
• Appointed Dr. John Griggs to the Washington County Historical Commission.
• Received the Office of Emergency Management’s quarterly report.
• Enrolled in Texas Association of Counties cybersecurity training for the 2025 reporting year.
• Approved bond renewals for reserve deputy sheriffs Justin Knuppel, Ruben Fuentes and William Scott Atwood.