Members of the Kendall County Commissioners Court slammed the door on future talk of creating an Emergency Services District in the Cordillera Ranch-Bergheim area off State Highway 46.
A standing-room-only crowd Tuesday heard county residents speak for and against the proposal, brought before commissioners by the Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department, which has seen its volunteer membership dwindle over the years while development in the area has exploded, service they say they cannot continue to meet.
Opponents spoke against the ESD creation raising a 10 cents-on-the dollar tax on residents and railed against a paid staff eliminating the county’s long-standing volunteer fire force.
The commissioners court’s 5-0 vote was not in opposition to the ESD, but to deny its placement on the ballot in May.
Voters in 2022 rejected a similar effort to create an ESD as nearly 54 percent of county residents cast votes against it.
Proponents told commissioners that staffing for 24/7/365 coverage represents more than half of the finances involved in the plan.
“The total we think would be a reasonable starting point comes in ... in the $2.5-$3 million range,” said Cleve Hogarth, vice president of the Bergheim VFD board of directors.
“We do not have the luxury of waiting. The situation will continue to worsen,” Hogarth said, referring to shrinking volunteer numbers, spending of VFD cash reserves, and the residential and commercial growth in the area.
“We need to transition from an all-volunteer department to a paid, full-time fire department with 24/7 staffing,” he told the commissioners.
County Judge Shane Stolarczyk voiced his concern with the legality of the issue. He and Commissioner Andra Wisian found fault with the petitioners’ failure to gain consent of the city of Bulverde, which has land in its extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) that falls into the ESD proposed district.
“ Your petition says this petition excludes the ... ETJ of any other cities. So right now, you’re admitting that Bulverde is included in your ETJ, but your petition says otherwise,” Stolarczyk said.
“When you file a petition, legally, you must put the public on notice, accurately. That could be a fatal flaw to your petition,” the judge said, “claiming the only ETJ at issue is San Antonio, but Bulverde is included. Notice must be accurate and complete.”
Commissioner Richard Chapman expressed concern with the ESD’s budgeting and failure to have clear, concise financials in place. He said the market value of homes in the ESD range is $2.98 million, with homestead, agriculture and other exemptions in play.
“You’re not going to get $3 million, that’s not all taxable,” Chapman said. “For this to be deemed feasible, we should have gone in and gotten the exact amount of taxable value that’s in there.
“If you’re going to tell the people, we’re going to get $3 million, I don’t think that is correct,” he added.
He said if the ESD proponents are promising constituents 24/7 coverage, “You at least need to be able to put it on paper, make it work on paper.”
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