Walnut voters asked to approve taxing district

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WALNUT — The Walnut Fire Department will ask voters in November to approve the creation of the Walnut Fire Protection District.

The Walnut Fire Protection District designation is needed in order to receive tax money to help pay for fire and ambulance service to the area.

On Monday, Bureau County Clerk Kami Hieronymus said state statue sets a range of taxes from which a district can choose its tax rate. The specific tax rate will not be a part of the November referendum.

If the referendum is approved in November, the new tax would go into effect for the 2008 tax year, payable in tax year 2009, Hieronymus said. The referendum must be approved by a simple majority.

On Monday, Walnut Fire Chief Scott Carlson said the fire department has considered the taxing district option for several years. Lots of people are surprised the department hasn’t asked for the formation of a taxing district before now, he said.

With increased operating expenses, the Walnut department just needs more money, Carlson said. The department has operated for years through donations and whatever grants it might receive. During the last few years, donations have gotten smaller, and grants aren’t so available.

The Walnut department is in the minority of area fire/ambulance departments which aren’t already taxing districts, Carlson said.

The Walnut Fire Department covers 150 square miles in portions of Bureau, Whiteside and Lee counties. About 280 fire and ambulance calls are received each year, with the majority of those being for ambulance service, Carlson said. The all-volunteer department has 35 members.

Carlson said the Walnut department has 11 vehicles, including one fire engine that is more than 30 years old and two ambulances which are on a 10-year replacement rotation. With the increased number of ambulance calls, he would like to get the ambulances on a seven-year rotation, Carlson said.