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Obion County Commission Approves Local Fire Service Districts

Obion County Tennessee Commissioners will allow three rural communities to provide membership-based fire service to their local customers. The county subscription service ends June 30, because County officials will no longer administer the fee. Clerk Vollie Boehms cites a state statute that prevents her from collecting the fee.  The municipalities of Hornbeak, Samburg and Rives plan to take up the responsibility for fire service in their areas on July 1st. Hornbeak Fire Chief Bob Reavis  says the local city council is expected to approve the new service tonight. Letters about the change will go out June 25th. 

“The success or failure of this membership program solely lies in the hands of the rural customers that we provide the fire service to. If those people don’t pay, we go right back to where we were with not having enough money to fund the operation.”

Reavis says Hornbeak’s service would cover roughly 71-square miles, with similar coverage around Samburg and Rives. Residents will have a grace period through August 18 to pay the $75 service fee. Those who don’t pay will be billed $2,000 or more for a fire call. Four towns in the county haven’t yet made a move to provide their own fire service. They are Obion, Kenton, Union City and Troy. South Fulton already operates its own subscription service.

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