Pender County Board of Commissioners considers new fire district

The new district would dissolve the Shiloh-Columbia Volunteer Fire Department

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Pender County Board of Commissioners considered the establishment of a new fire district Monday night. 

The proposal would dissolve the Shiloh-Columbia Volunteer Fire Department. The redistricting resolution comes after the county filed a lawsuit against the volunteer fire department last year. In that lawsuit, the county cited “deficiencies in performance.”

Commissioners heard public comment from residents on Monday, though a vote on the proposal is not scheduled to take place yet. 

Volunteer Firefighter Travis Mitchell denies the county’s claims about the department. 

“They make accusations, we have evidence to disprove it, but they won’t give us our day in court. We can disprove 99.99999% of what they’re accusing,” he said. 

Pender County Fire Marshal Amy Burton defended the proposal at the meeting, saying it would reduce the cost of home insurance, and keep residents safer. 

“The folks that live in the Shiloh-Columbia District, your current insurance rating is a seven. The worst rating you can have in the state of North Carolina and still receive insurance is a nine,” she said. 

Burton claimed that the new district could save residents around $1,200 on insurance each year. The Board of Commissioners will meet again at 4 p.m. on june 17th.