Town hall meeting set for May 22

The Center Hill Volunteer Fire Department will be having a Town Hall meeting at the Center Hill Baptist Church on May 22nd at 5 p.m. This will be to discuss the creation of Cass County Emergency Service District #4 which will include the Center Hill Volunteer Fire Department’s coverage area.

Center Hill Volunteer Fire Department covers the following areas and these are the boundaries: Starting at the intersection of FM 1841 & CR 1914 we head North to CR 19131 covering the East Side of CR 1914. We then go from CR 1913 to US HWY 59 covering the East side of the road. Once on HWY 59 we go all the way to the South side of John’s Creek covering the South side of HWY 59. John’s Creek is just South of FM 2328. Following the South side of John’s Creek to CR 1921, we then run the South side of CR 1921, which turns into CR 4122 before it hits HWY 43. Once on HWY 43, we go South until we get to HWY 125 intersection covering the West side of HWY 43. We then go on HWY 125 to CR 1899 covering the North side of 125. We then go on CR 1899 until the intersection of FM 1841 covering the East side of CR 1899. We then run on FM 1841 back to CR 1914 covering the North side of FM 1841. If you live within this area this will affect you.

The Center Hill VFD has been in operation since October of 1990. We have survived off of $2,800 per year from Cass County and then the rest has been off of the donations and support from our community and the surrounding areas.

You are probably asking what is required of you, the homeowner and property owners in our area. First of all we need a signature from you showing the support. We have to have 150 signatures by June 1 in order to get everything sent in and off to Austin to be on the ballot for this November election. Second we ask for your Vote during the elections to help get it going. Everyone that we have talked to and gotten signatures from so far has been all for it. You may ask what the cost on the taxes are going to be. We are going for the maximum of $0.10 per $100. This is the max that we can get. This will be off of the tax rolls. For example if you place is valued on the tax role for $100,000. Your taxation cost for the year would be $100.00.

By doing this you will allow us to be able to do much needed upgrades that have been put off for years due to the lack of funds. We will be able to better outfit our Firefighters with gear and equipment that is out dated by most specs. The cost to outfit 1 Firefighter with turnout gear to fight wildland and structure fires, SCBA air pack and a radio is approx $12,000 right now and the prices keep climbing. This is before any training is done or the first call is responded to. A simple brush truck for wildland fires runs close to $100,000 or better, just another example of the cost.

As far as our people, none of that will change. It will be the same faces and hopefully more will join in the future.

Thank you as always for your support and help!! If you haven’t already gotten with one of us to sign in support then reach out to us. We have members starting to go door to door to collect the needed signatures. Again Thank You for your support. We cannot do this without you!!