Agenda - 03-05-1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• oot For several years, White Cross and the surrounding area to the south has received fire prot ect i on on a volunteer basis from Eli Whitney, North Chatham, and Orange Grove Fire Departments. In May of 1984, the Orange County Board of Commissioners received letters from these three fire departments. The letters stated that due to the increasing cost of equipment and vehicles essential for fire department operations, it was becoming necessary to discontinue fire protection on a volunteer basis to the White Cross area. However, the three departments did agree to continue fire protection to this area while White Cross was implementing their own method of fire protect ion. As a result of this letter, a letter from the Orange County Board of Commissioners was mailed to all the citizens to be affected by this change. This letter included the necessary steps to create a fire tax district for the White Cross area along with a petition which was to be signed by residential property owners. This petition would signify their desire to support a fire tax for the purpose of fire protection to the White Cross area. The number of signed petitions returned well exceeded the 35 % requirements. As a result of this petition, the Orange County Board of Elections published the necessary advertising and conducted an election oof the White Cross District on May 7, 1985. The vote was favorable for levying a fire tax for the area. In an official Board action on May 21, 1985, the Orange County Board of Commissioners appointed trustees for the White Cross Fire Department. The trustees have now negotiated for a tract of property near the intersection of State roads 1005 and 1953. This property has been approved for the construction of the White Cross Fire Department by the Orange County Health Department, the Orange County Planning Department and the Farmers Home Administration. The White Cross Fire Department has applied for funding from Farmers Home Administration and is waiting for loan approval. Closing could be as soon as ninety (90) days at which time building construction and purchase of equipment should begin. At about the same time citizens of the White Cross Community were addressing the issue of fire protection, another petition was being circulated by a small group of citizens on highway 54 west. This petition was for the levying of a fire tax to provide protection to this area. Since this area is approximately four and one-half miles from Carrboro Fire Department and seven miles from the proposed White Cross Fire Department, these citizens were also requesting that the fire protection be provided by the Carrboro Fire Department. If these citizens were to receive fire protection from the Carrboro Fire Department, they would be eligible for a reduction in fire insurance rates since they live within, the five (5) road miles of the Carrboro station. 1