Granite Shoals to charge for fire protection beyond city limits

GRANITE SHOALS — The City Council has voted to charge for fire protection outside the city limits after Oct. 1.

The council adopted an ordinance Aug. 23 requiring homeowners’ groups and other agencies outside the city to contract with Granite Shoals for fire, first-responder and rescue services or pay on a per-call basis.

Individual homeowners are not covered, but they can form partnerships with other non-residents and sign a contract. Or they can be billed.

However, officials said they won’t prohibit the Fire Department from responding to calls outside the city limits even if there is no contract.

"There would be nothing to make me as a person or mayor to ask a fireman to sit on his hands," Mayor Dennis Maier said. "We will respond as we can."

Fairness to taxpayers drove the ordinance, officials indicated.

City leaders said residents have been funding calls both inside and outside Granite Shoals because non-residents don’t pay property taxes that support the Fire Department.

"We’re basically subsidizing the (non-residents’) fire protection," Councilwoman Shirley King said. "This is a date when that ends."

Under the ordinance, which takes effect Oct. 1, property owners’ associations and other municipalities or entities can contract with Granite Shoals for fire and associated services.

For those who don’t contract with the city for fire protection, the department could still respond in an emergency if the resources are available, said Chief Austin Stanphill.

The resident, however, would get a bill from the city. Stanphill said the fees would be based on the equipment sent and used.

The resident’s insurance company may cover those charges.

While Burnet County provides $22,000-$24,0000 annually to local fire departments for mutual-aid assistance, city officials said that’s not enough to cover fire protection outside Granite Shoals.

"That’s definitely a mutual-aid contract," Stanphill said. "We’ll provide resources if available, but not at the detriment of city protection."

The matter could be moot by next year.

The Burnet County commissioners have placed a proposal for the creation of Emergency Services District No. 3 on the Nov. 8 ballot.

If it passes, a new ESD board could levy a property tax of up to 10 cents per $100 valuation to help fund the fire department. The ESD would serve the Granite Shoals area.

The district could also create its own department as well.

But even if the ESD passes, it will take several months to organize.

Maier said the ESD issue has no bearing on the city’s decision to charge for fire services— it was strictly a budgetary matter.

The contract fee charged to property owner associations or other entities would be based on property values, officials said.

The city is not soliciting for contracts. Maier said the agencies will have to contact the city.