Buncombe County leaders have taken some of the final steps in realigning a confusing “mishmash” of boundaries surrounding the county’s fire districts, a move that officials say will simplify record-keeping and insurance issues.
County commissioners at a regular Tuesday meeting held public hearings on a process that will eventually reduce 35 types of fire and emergency districts to 20. Commissioners plan to vote on the changes at their Nov. 3 meeting.
Many of the county’s original fire departments were established about half a century ago. When the county grew and fire departments wanted to extend services beyond their original district boundaries, it was often easier to add “service districts” right next door instead of going through a more cumbersome process to expand the existing fire district. But over time, that practice created a jumble of areas that often confused residents and officials dealing with insurance and tax issues, Board of Commissioners Chairman David Gantt said.
“It’s kind of a mishmash what we’ve got now. We’ve got a lot of unnecessary districts,” Gantt said at the meeting.
Officials worked to assure the public that only the lines would change. A department now serving individual homes and businesses as well as the property tax rate paid for fire service should not change because of the boundary adjustments, they said.
“Everyone needs to understand there is no change in the service that a citizen is receiving,” said Michael Frue, the county’s senior staff attorney.
One exception is six properties in the former Haw Creek fire district that will be absorbed by the Riceville fire district. Those land owners will see their fire service taxes rise from 9 cents per $100 of assessed value to 11 cents.
Despite assurances and explanations, several residents expressed confusion. A few said they thought the changes would lead to a tax increase, regardless of what they had been told.
Dale Aitken, 65, rents a home whose property backs up to U.S. 74A in Fairview. Aitken, who is disabled said he’s seen his rent climb hundreds of dollars from the $390 a month he paid in 1989. He said he was worried the fire boundary changes would lead to a tax increase, which would cause his rent to rise.
“There are no other fire departments servicing this area, so why change it if it is not broken?”
The only way taxes would go up for most residents is if their fire department asks for an increase, officials said. That type of change can happen on July of every year and isn’t affected by the boundary adjustments, they said.
Hotel tax board appointment
Commissioners delayed the appointment of a new member to the Buncombe County Tourism Authority, the board that controls the county’s $14 million hotel room tax.
Only one of the two applicants was able to participate in an interview, said Gantt, so commissioners will take up the appointment in November. Applicants are Managing Director of the Grove Park Inn Gary Froeba and Craig Madison, vice president of hospitality for the FIRC Group, the company founded by Tony Fraga that owns the Haywood Park Hotel. Though commissioners and the City Council make appointments to the authority by state law, the two local governments have found themselves at odds with the authority over whether some of the tax revenue should go to infrastructure and other public services. State law says the revenue must go toward marketing and projects that boost hotel business.
Leave a Reply