Volunteer firefighters battle a blaze near Crafton. FILE | WCMESSENGER
A public hearing for the proposed Wise County Emergency Services District No. 4 (ESD No. 4) — an effort coordinated by Alvord, Chico, Crafton and Sand Flat volunteer fire departments — will come before county commissioners in July. After the hearing, the court will consider placing the issue on the November ballot.
Commissioners approved scheduling the hearing 8:30 a.m. July 28. Organizers successfully submitted 135 verified signatures supporting the creation of ESD No. 4 through the Wise County Election’s Office, according to elections administrator Sabra Srader. A valid ESD petition must have 100 signatures from residents within the proposed district’s boundaries.
“We just want to respectfully request the public hearing date and let everyone know we appreciate their support and cooperation,” said Alvord Fire Chief Heather Redder Monday. “We’re really excited about this to get some additional funding so we can continue to serve, safely and effectively with the equipment that we need.”
The ESD has been described as an avenue to address financial challenges, improve response times and maintain and update equipment. The proposed district would cover most of the northwest quadrant of Wise County.
The map for ESD No. 4 has been updated slightly since it was last proposed, Redder said.
ESD No. 4 map
The group attempted to place ESD No. 4 on the May ballot earlier this year, but the effort was postponed after encountering an issue with filing deadlines. Srader said the public hearing on July 28 will allow time to meet the Aug. 18 deadline to appear on the November ballot.
An ESD can levy a property tax of up to 10 cents per $100 of property valuation. It can also collect between 0.125% and 2% of the local sales tax rate, if approved by voters.
If established, ESD No. 4 would join Wise County ESD No. 1 in Boyd, ESD No. 2 in Boonsville, and ESD No. 3, which serves Paradise, Cottondale, Salt Creek, and areas near Bridgeport and Decatur.
This story will be updated.
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