Orangeburg City Council delays action on county fire agreement

The agreement is designed to pay the City of Orangeburg for providing fire service to areas outside the city limits.

Orangeburg City Council “had their concerns about the amount of money or payment that would be received from the county and whether or not that would be sufficient. There were also concerns about having to give up our ability to service that district at the end of an agreement,” City Administrator Sidney Evering said following council’s special called meeting Wednesday.

“We just needed to work some details out along those lines and council wanted some more time,” Evering said.

Orangeburg City Council tabled the agreement on Wednesday instead of giving it second reading.

The proposal deals with property located outside the city but within five miles of the city limits.

The city currently provides fire service in the area, but it does not tax property owners for the service. Instead, property owners are supposed to buy fire contracts – but not everyone does.

Under the proposal, the county will tax property in city’s coverage area at 18 mills, the same as other property in the Orangeburg County Fire District. The tax will replace the existing fire contracts.

The tax will not affect city residents, who pay for the service through their city taxes, or those who live outside the City of Orangeburg’s fire service area.

The county would then pay the city $1.25 million annually for the next three years to provide fire service for the area.

After two years, the city would have an option to opt out or continue the agreement. If the city opts out of the agreement, the county would assume the fire services.

Orangeburg County Council on Tuesday gave unanimous second reading to the fire service agreement. County Council had no public discussion about the contract, but did enter into closed session to discuss the matter further.

“We have been working in good faith with the City of Orangeburg,” Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said. “We will get together and both councils will continue to discuss this and move it forward. We are committed to working with the city.”

Young said the county is most concerned about improving Insurance Service Office ratings for residents with high ratings. Improving the ratings could lower those residents’ home insurance rates.

Young said both councils have been in communication with each other throughout the entire process.

The county’s deadline to sign the agreement is Tuesday, Oct. 5. The date has been set in order for the county to be able to set its millage rate for the next year.

Young says if the city does not agree by the deadline, the matter could be revisited next year.

Orangeburg City Council’s next meeting is Oct. 5. Evering said it will be City Council’s decision whether or not it takes up the matter and gives the agreement final approval.

The city and county councils have been discussing the matter for several years and have struggled to come to an agreement that would be both financially acceptable to both bodies and beneficial to homeowners.