What you pay for fire Service could go from $13.40 to $16.75 increasing every year to year 5 at $22.80.
The Denton County Water District Board of Directors have misled you by making you believe that the Aubrey Fire Department is asking for a significant increase in their fee. They claim an increase of 29%. However, this is not true. The Aubrey Fire Department has proposed an amendment to the current Fire contract. Under this amendment, the fee per house would be fixed at $17.50 per month for a 5-year contract, with no increase for the first three years. Inflation (CPI) would be the only factor considered for a possible increase in year 4 and 5. This increase was only a request of 18.5% increase and very comparable to neighboring departments. The Aubrey Fire Department has not asked for an increase in payment for service since 2013.
The proposal to increase the contract amount from $13.50 per month per house was rejected by your board of directors, and the Aubrey Fire Department agreed to continue with the current contract without any changes which covers till the end of 2025. However, your board of directors have now decided to try and terminate this contract early due to personal issues and undisclosed dealings with The City of Little Elm.
The Town of Little Elm has approved a contract to provide services to your communities at a rate of $16.50 per month per house. This rate wil increase every year for the next 5 years, leading to a rate of $22.80 per house per month in year 5. Your board of directors has approved this plan, but they have provided you false information stating that Aubrey Fire Department was raising their rates excessively. This information is not true, and the rate will remain the same in the current contract.
Did you know that the portion of your water bill allocated for fire service isn't entirely going towards that purpose?
The current fire plan states that each participating district is responsible for a share of monthly payments for fire service based on the proportion of water connections within the district.
However, despite documentation indicating that all districts should pay $13.40 for fire service to meet the yearly budget of $2.1 million, actual payments vary.
For example:
Elm Ridge pays $13.95 a month
Paloma Creek pays different amounts ranging from $13 to $15 a month.
This discrepancy raises questions about where the extra money is going, especially considering it's not being paid to the Aubrey Fire Department for service.
Board members and governing officials have made grand stand statements of
"misappropriation of funds" used statements like "stealing from citizens" yet the documentation to prove said allegations have not been shown. Only grand stand statements have been made without proof.
Who is actually stealing from who? This lack of transparency is concerning and raises ethical issues. It's essential to ask questions and stay informed about what you're paying for.
When an elected official or a governing body director tries to use scare tactics to sway a vote you should ask questions. The residents have a right to decide.