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CONWAY – Members of the Conway Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) are going through the process for a second time to try to establish a fire tax district.

A public hearing was held at the fire department on Wednesday, Oct. 23 for citizens to learn more about the proposal and to ask any questions they may have.

Most municipalities in Northampton County already have an established fire tax district, but Conway is one of two that still does not. Within a fire tax district, citizens pay a tax that goes to support the local fire department and its operations.

CVFD’s proposed tax would be seven cents per $100 of property valuation. That means a person with a $100,000 home, for example, would pay an additional $7 in taxes annually if the proposal is approved.

Motor vehicles and other equipment would also be subject to the fire district tax.

The proposed district includes not only property within the town limits, but also several miles of surrounding area.

The department initially began the process of establishing a district in 2023, holding a public hearing and then gaining approval from its town board. They then sent the request to the county commissioners, who were also required to hold a public hearing on the matter.

That county hearing was held in June 2024 to consider Conway’s proposal, along with a fire tax district proposal from Severn’s VFD. But many citizens who spoke at that hearing – particularly those who lived within the proposed tax district but not inside the town limits – said they were unaware of the proposal, and did not have the chance to ask questions beforehand.

The county commissioners voted to deny the request. According to state statutes, since the districts weren’t approved before the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2024), the departments must wait until the next fiscal year (beginning July 1, 2025) for any new fire tax district to be put into effect.

So Conway’s department started the process over again, and held another public hearing on Oct. 23 for citizen input.

CVFD members Johnny Martin and Joe Barrett presented the information to the crowd gathered inside the fire department building during last week’s meeting.

Martin explained that there’s over $297 million in taxable property within the proposed district, with Bakelite (formerly Georgia Pacific) making up around $20 million of that total.

Their estimate is that the department would receive around $208,000 annually from the tax district.

“Our annual operating budget is about $60,000 if we don’t buy any new major equipment,” Martin said, noting that expenses range from insurance, certifications, replacing older equipment, and more. “That stuff don’t come cheap.”

Barrett explained that it costs around $13,000 to outfit one firefighter in their personal protective equipment, which includes fire helmet, hood, face protection, gloves, turnout gear, boots, and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The SCBA alone costs $9,000, Barrett noted.

All that gear has to be replaced at least every 10 years for the department to remain OSHA compliant.

But the biggest expense comes in the form of fire trucks, which Barrett said gets more costly every year.

Currently, the department has three pumper/tanker trucks still in service as well as a mini pumper. The oldest truck was purchased in 1996 at a cost is $166,000. That was followed by another in 1999 for a cost of $193,000.

Their newest truck was purchased in 2017 at a cost of $263,000. But Barrett pointed out that costs have skyrocketed since then, and that same truck today would have a price tag of well over $600,000.

The mini pumper, which has been in service for 21 years now, is currently being used when the department performs certified medium duty rescue, a service they have provided since the local rescue squad closed.

Barrett noted that the calls the department responds to have increased over time, and their total for 2023 was 135 calls. Some are for structure fires, but other calls are for motor vehicle wrecks and other EMS calls too. He also explained that volunteer firefighters must undergo several hours of training each year.

Local insurance agent John Brown also spoke briefly during the meeting to talk about how the local fire department can affect homeowners’ insurance. He explained that being close to a fire department and a fire hydrant will show that your home is well protected in case of fire, so your insurance rates are lower. But if the department can no longer operate, then the amount the homeowner pays for their insurance increases.

Throughout the discussion, several citizens asked questions about the fire tax district proposal.

One asked if there were grants available for the fire department, and another person asked if CVFD would continue to hold their annual fundraisers.

Barrett said they do apply for grants, but there aren’t as many available as there have been in the past. He also praised the CVFD’s Ladies Auxiliary for the hard work they’ve done with fundraisers in the past, which has helped the department survive so long without a fire tax district.

“They do a marvelous job every year,” he said.

Other citizens asked if it would be possible to start with a lower tax rate, such as four or five cents instead. Barrett said the department had calculated the costs and seven cents was the amount that would cover what they needed.

A few others asked if there could be a tax exemption for farm equipment, but Martin said other local fire tax districts do not have that exemption.

Barrett wrapped up his comments by emphasizing again the reasoning behind the tax district proposal.

“A fire tax would ensure we have the resources, training, and equipment necessary to continue our life-saving and property-saving work. It’s an investment that yields benefits, enhancing our safety and peace of mind,” he stated. “Your support is not just an act of generosity. It’s a commitment to the wellbeing of our entire community. We thank you for your support you’ve given us before.”

Since the public hearing was for information only, there was no decision made at Wednesday’s meeting. But members of CVFD said they would take the public’s comments under consideration.

The next step in the process is for the county commissioners to hold a public hearing on the proposal, like they did back in June for the first proposal. After that, they will vote on whether to approve or deny the request again.

No date has been set yet for that hearing, but citizens who live within the proposed district should receive notification by mail beforehand.