Frequenty Asked Questions
Why do we need a fire department in Rea Valley?
Approximately 790 landowners have property in Rea Valley with over 500 residences in the area. Over 25 years ago it was decided by the citizens of Rea Valley that a fire department was needed to protect their lives and property.
Why have the fees for the fire department go up so much?
In 1989, Ordinance 89-2 was passed by the Marion County Quorum Court to limit the annual fees that could be charged by rural fire departments and fire districts. This ordinance limited the ability for the fire department to fund their services. As the cost of fuel, insurance, equipment, utilities, etc., has gone up dramatically in the last twenty years the amount that could be charged for services has not. Each year the fire department has tried to make up the difference with fundraisers, grants, and donations. But the difference between the funds raised by subscription fees and the cost to run the fire department continues to grow. Five years ago the fire departments in Marion County challenged this law as being unconstitutional under Arkansas state law. In 2012, Ordinance 89-2 was determined to be invalid by the Arkansas Attorney General and was struck down. This ordinance has been keeping the fees artificially low and did not provide the support necessary to maintain the fire departments.
Why was the change made from a non-profit volunteer fire department to a volunteer fire protection district?
Because of Ordinance 89-2 and the lack of participation by the landowners of Rea Valley, it was deemed necessary to petition the county for the establishment of a fire protection district to provide adequate funding for fire protection services. All members of the community should share in the cost of services provided to all members of the community.
How and when was the fire protection district established?
The Rea Valley Fire Protection District was established by Marion County Ordinance 2013-21 on May 14, 2013.
What Arkansas statutes apply to fire protection districts?
Arkansas Code 2010, Title 14 – Local Government, Subtitle 17 – Public Health and Welfare Improvement Districts, Chapter 284 Fire Protection Districts
Why did I not hear about the formation of the fire district until the fees were raised?
A petition for the establishment of the fire district was filed with the Marion County Court November 28, 2011. Numerous public hearings were held by the Quorum Court over an 18 months period to hear the merits of the petition. Public notifications of the hearings were made in the Mountaineer Echo December 22 & 29, 2011, as prescribed by law. A public notice for adoption of the ordinance and a public hearing for comments on the ordinance that was passed by the Quorum Court to establish the fire district was published in the Mountaineer Echo on May 23, 2013, as prescribed by law. The meeting was held at the fire station to hear objections to the fire district on August 5, 2013. A public notice was also published in the Mountain Echo on February 13 & 20, 2014 regarding the fees established by the Board of Commissioners, as prescribed by law.
How did the Board of Commissioners set the fees for the fire protection services?
The assessment of fees for the Rea Valley Volunteer Fire District was developed based on two primary factors: the 2012 operating budget of the Rea Valley Volunteer Fire Department and the statistics of responses made by the fire department in 2012. Based on the 2012 operating budget and anticipated cost increases over the next five years, a proposed annual budget of $52,000 per year was established for the district. The majority of responses made by the department in 2012 were for medical assistance, followed by wildland brush fires, and lastly structure fires. It was decided that based on this information, all parcels of land would be divided into residential or undeveloped land since only those parcels with residences or dwellings would require medical assistance. Since the majority of responses were medical in nature the landowners with residences should pay more of the cost of operations than landowners of undeveloped land. Using these criteria and the number of parcels listed in the county records, the commissioners tried to establish a fee scale that would yield a projected revenue of $50,000.
Can I review the financial records of the non-profit fire department?
Yes, the records of the non-profit corporation and the fire protection district are public record and can be viewed upon request.
What is the fees schedule for fire protection services?
Any parcel that has a residence or dwelling located on their property will be considered as residential land and will be assessed a flat fee of $75.00. Any parcel which does not have a residences or dwellings located on their property will be classified as undeveloped land and will be assessed a flat fee based on the total number of undeveloped acres owned. The following flat fee scale will applied to undeveloped land.
The following flat fee scale will applied to undeveloped land.
0.01 - 5.00 acres $20.00
5.01 - 25.00 acres $30.00
25.01 – 50.00 acres $40.00
50.01 acres or greater $50.00
What if I have a house that is abandoned or not used as a dwelling for human habitation?
The commissioner’s intent was that only residences that were capable of human habitation, and therefore may need medical assistance, would be charged. You should not be charged for an abandon house.
What if I own more than one residence or dwelling on a single parcel of land?
You should only be charged a total of $75.00, since the law requires that any fees charged on a per parcel basis be no more than the maximum fee per parcel of residential land, which is $75.00. (Statute 14-284-212)
What if I own more that one residence or dwelling on different parcels of land?
You should be charged $75.00 for each residence per parcel of land. (Statute 14-284-212)
Why do I have to pay more per acres of undeveloped land?
The greater the number of acres owned the greater the likelihood that a wildland fire will occur on the property.
Why do I have to pay for undeveloped land, I don’t care if it all burns to the ground?
Arkansas Code, Title 20, Subtitle 2, Chapter 22, Subchapter 9 states, “Upon receipt of a report of an uncontrolled fire or a 911 or other emergency call reporting a fire, it shall be the duty of volunteer fire departments operating within the State of Arkansas to respond to, attempt to control, and put out all fires occurring within their respective districts involving any real or personal property, whether that property is owned by members of the fire district.” As you can see the fire department has the “duty to respond” and will thereby incur the cost to respond whether you pay or not. All members of the community should share in the cost of services rendered to all members of the community.
Why do I have to pay fire protection services if I don’t want them?
Arkansas Code, Title 20, Subtitle 2, Chapter 22, Subchapter 9 states, “Upon receipt of a report of an uncontrolled fire or a 911 or other emergency call reporting a fire, it shall be the duty of volunteer fire departments operating within the State of Arkansas to respond to, attempt to control, and put out all fires occurring within their respective districts involving any real or personal property, whether that property is owned by members of the fire district.” As you can see the fire department has the “duty to respond” and will thereby incur the cost to respond whether you pay or not. All members of the community should share in the cost of services rendered to all members of the community.
What if I don’t agree with the assessment?
All assessments will be based on county tax assessor’s records. It is anticipated that errors may occur as to the presence or absence of residences or dwellings located on assessed developed property as well as correct acreage of undeveloped land. Every landowner has the right to appeal the fire district assessment to the board of commissioners. An Assessment Appeal form should be completed and submitted to the county clerk’s office in the main courthouse.
Where can I get an assessment appeal form?
You may obtain an appeal form at the county clerks office in the Marion County courthouse or online Click Here. The appeal form must be submitted to the Marion County Clerks office to be recorded. The appeal will be reviewed by the board of commissioners and a decision made.
Why did I receive two statements from the Marion County tax collector’s office?
The Board of Commissioners was appointed by the county judge in November of 2013. A deadline of February 1, 2014, was given to establish the new fire district, elect officers of the Board of Commissioners, select assessors and set fees for services. With only a limited amount of time the volunteer commissioners tried to evaluate all factors needed to set the assessment of benefits by the deadline. A list of parcels and fees was submitted to the tax collectors office by the deadline. The tax collector’s office had some corrections that they required and also consulted the county attorney for his opinion, which delayed the processing of the fees. Because of these delays, the tax statements were printed without the Rea Valley fees and sent to the landowners. Subsequently, a corrected statement including the Rea Valley fees was printed and sent out.
How do Rea Valley’s fees compare with others in Marion County?
We compared the proposed fees with almost all fire departments in Marion County. These fees do not reflect the actual cost of running a fire department. As mentioned before, due to the invalid Ordinance 89-2, all of the fire departments have been limited in the maximum fee they could charge. Most fire departments will be raising their rates as well.
How does our fire department compare with others in Marion County?
Rea Valley in one of the best equipped and trained fire departments in the county. We have more training and service hours than any other fire department and our equipment is comparable.
What is ISO and how does it affect the fire department?
ISO stands for Insurance Services Office. Through the Public Protection Classification (PPC) program, ISO evaluates fire protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. A community's investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predictor of future fire losses. So, insurance companies use PPC information to help establish fair premiums for fire insurance--generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection. Many communities use the PPC or ISO rating as a benchmark for measuring the effectiveness of their fire protection services. The PPC program is also a tool that helps communities plan for, budget, and justify improvements.
What is our current ISO rating?
Rea Valley currently has two areas with different ISO ratings. All property within five "road" miles of either Station 1 or Station 2 has a rating of 6. All other areas are rated 10. Fire Chief Hannah and all of the firefighters have put in countless hours of work to get our ISO rating improved from a 9 to a 6. This could have dramatic effects on your home owners insurance premiums. Please contact your insurance company and inform them that our ISO rating has changed.
Do all insurance companies use the ISO rating to determine their premiums?
No, some companies do and some don’t. You should ask your insurance company about ISO ratings.
Why does our fire department respond to Flippin and other communities?
All the volunteer fire departments in Marion County depend on each other to respond to emergencies. Our firemen are volunteers, they have jobs, families and personal lives. They may not be able to respond due to other obligations, this is when our department and other departments have a program of “mutual aid” to meet the needs of our community. More volunteers are desperately needed.
I don’t like how the fire department is run, what should I do?
Participate in the process, attend the Board of Commissioners meeting, and make your suggestions. We as your neighbors welcome your help.