LEE COUNTY COMMITTEE LOOKING TO CREATE AN ESD
A study committee on Fire/EMS funding has set the wheels in motion for the creation of an ESD (Emergency Services District) in Lee County.
An Emergency Services District is a local government agency created to provide fire and/or emergency medical services in a specific area.
ESD’s are used to fund emergency services instead of county and municipal budgets. They are usually overseen by a board of five commissioners, who are made up of volunteers appointed by the Commissioners Court.
Increased funding requests by the City of Giddings and the various fire departments in Lee County, prompted County Judge Paul Fischer and the Commissioners to look for other ways to raise money for them.
The committee wants the County to set aside 1 cent to 2 cents per $100 valuation for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
The plan is similar to what has been adopted in Fayette County. The first cent would be distributed equally to each fire department. The second cent would be distributed to each fire department based on the volume of their calls.
There are currently 96 counties in Texas that have ESD’s in place. The committee recommends that the District be placed on the ballot in May 2023 for voters to decide whether or not to implement one.
ESD will ensure that everyone contributes toward the financial support of the emergency services within the county. As Lee County continues to grows with due to companies moving to Austin and Houston area so will the population of Lee County. This funding enables the emergency service to have a guaranteed source of funding that can be used to purchase needed equipment and hire paid personnel. This enable the emergency personnel to focus on training and not have to worry about trying to get donations to buy equipment