Accomack Board hears plan to reward volunteer fire fighters and EMS volunteers

The Accomack County Board of Supervisors heard a report from the Committee appointed to study the proposal to provide personal property tax relief to active volunteer fire company support members and others.

On October 19, the Board appointed Chairman Tarr and Supervisor Wolf to a committee tasked with formulating a recommendation to the full Board  as to what groups of County Fire Department and/or EMS Agency volunteers should be eligible for a special motor vehicle tax classification that would ultimately result in the owners of these vehicles paying less personal property taxes.

The Committee met on November 2, 2022 , the Board  with the County Administrator, County Attorney and Director of Public Safety in attendance.  The Committee focused on a power point presentation provided by staff,  Notes from individual conversations with Fire Chiefs by the Director of Public Safety, A VACO Survey on Volunteer Incentives, and a Virginia Institute of Government inquiry.

In the conversations, multiple Fire Chiefs indicated that they believed only volunteers covered under the Company’s worker’s compensation plan should be eligible.  The Committee agreed and made this part of their recommended changes to the ordinance.  The Fire Chiefs also recommended that the amount of compensation that each member receives be the same.  Unfortunately , the Code of Virginia does not authorize  a fixed or maximum amount of relief.  The tax savings that each qualifying member receives will be determined buy the value of the vehicle that receives the special motor vehicle tax classification,.

The Committee recommended that the following provisions be incorporated  into Section 82-40  of the County Code.

The vehicle owner must be a member of a volunteer fire department or volunteer emergency medical services agency.  These individuals must meet the definition of ’emergency medical services personnel’ in Virginia Code Section 32.1-111.1.

The vehicle owner must be an active, life, honorary, or junior or associate  member of a volunteer fire department or volunteer emergency medical services agency or an elected president, vice-president, treasurer, or secretary, or equivalent elected offie, of the department or agency. No more than one vehicle owner per office held  in each department or agency may receive the special motor vehicle tax classification.

With exception of the Company’s  elected officers, the vehicle owner must be covered by the department’s or agency’s workers’ compensation insurance policy for the calendar year in which the special tax classification is to be applied.

The vehicle owner must regularly respond to emergency calls or regularly perform other duties, as determined by the chief or other executive officer of the department or agency.

The Committee discussed the pros and cons of making auxiliary members eligible for the special tas classification but declined to recommend this option.

The County Attorney advised the Board that the changes in the ordinance must be advertised before final passage by the Board.  It was moved that the final approval be moved to the December meeting after the advertising requirements are reached.  It was passed unanimously.