RESIDENTS LEARN ABOUT EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT FOR CHAPPELL HILL, MEYERSVILLE VFDs

  

Members of the Chappell Hill and Meyersville Volunteer Fire Departments hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday to present information to the public about a proposed emergency services district (ESD).

Several dozen residents came to the First Baptist Church of Chappell Hill to learn more and ask questions about the ESD, which would raise funding for the fire departments via an ad valorem tax of no more than 10 cents per $100 valuation on residents inside their service territories, not including the City of Brenham’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.  The departments are collecting petition signatures with the intent of bringing the proposition before voters this November.

Dustin Brown, Chappell Hill VFD captain and president, said the goal is to have the ESD become a reliable source of funding for the departments to put toward equipment upgrades and recruit new members.  The funding would take the place of what the departments receive from the county, but they could continue to host fundraisers as a supplement.

Thursday’s presentation was similar in structure to the one made to county commissioners in December, though this one had updated financial figures and data on call volume. 

Based on the approximate property value inside the two department’s territories of $1.05 billion and a tax rate of 10 cents per $100, the anticipated revenue collected – with ag exemptions – would be roughly $1.05 million annually.  The yearly revenue may change based on shifting property valuations.  A sales and use tax could also be implemented, but the ESD would need to be in place for a year before that can be considered. 

One question asked during the presentation was why is now the right time to implement an ESD, and is it the right move altogether.  Brown answered that with rising equipment costs, higher call volume and lower volunteer numbers, the danger of having to close is a very real possibility if the departments are not proactive.

The ESD would be governed by a five-member board that is appointed by the county and whose members would live inside the district.  The ESD would establish a budget each year to fund the short-term needs of the fire departments and work toward their long-term goals.  It would be required at the end of each year to perform an independent audit that would be presented to the county for review.  The ESD’s board members can be compensated, but the compensation would only be to recompensate for costs associated with serving on the board, such as travel and training, and it would have to be voted on by the board itself.

Should the departments receive at least 100 signatures on their petition, it can be brought to county commissioners for their consideration to call an election.  Only residents who are registered to vote within the proposed district boundaries would be able to participate in the election. 

Another town hall will be held on Thursday, June 27^th at 6:30 p.m. at Cowboy Church of Brenham.

Anyone who would like to know more about the ESD can contact the ESD committee at wacounty.esdone.questions@gmail.com.

The full PowerPoint presentation from Thursday's meeting can be downloaded here.