Morley voters will decide fire district, sales tax issues

The city of Morley, Missouri, would be included in the Scott County Rural Fire Protection District if voters approve a measure on the April 2 ballot.

Morley voters also will cast ballots on whether to extend the city's half-cent sales tax for the next five years, ending Dec. 31, 2024.

Expanding the fire district would benefit both the city and the fire district, city and fire officials said.

Morley Mayor Doug Sikes said the fire district is better equipped and trained than the city's fire department. The municipal department in the city of about 700 residents is staffed by a handful of volunteers with aging equipment.

Sikes said fire district officials proposed the boundary expansion. "The city council supported this idea. We think is the best thing for the city of Morley," he said.

Scott County fire chief Jeremy Perrien said expanding the district would allow his department to levy a tax on Morley property owners to help pay for services.

Property owners throughout the district pay 12.59 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The tax raised about $288,000 for the fire district in 2018, according to the state auditor's office.

The district has three fire stations, one each at Blodgett, Morley and Vanduser.

Perrien said the district's station at Morley was not originally in the city limits. When the city expanded, the district station ended up in the city limits.

But without voter approval to expand the district, the rural department cannot impose the property tax on Morley residents, the fire chief said.

The rural department routinely responds to fires in Morley, along with the city's department, according to Perrien.

But the district cannot continue to respond to Morley fires "for free," he said.

Expanding the district boundaries to include Morley will provide better fire protection, Perrien said.

The fire district has close to 50 volunteer firefighters and 11 pieces of equipment, including fire engines and water tankers.

Perrien said Morley residents already pay taxes for city services.

Approval of the ballot measure would mean instead of being taxed for city fire service, Morley residents would be taxed for the fire district service, Perrien said.

"They really won't be paying extra," he added.

If the measure is approved, the city would be able to sell the municipal fire station and equipment and put that revenue into the city budget, Perrien said.

As for the sales tax issue, Sikes, the mayor, said voters are simply being asked to continue a tax currently collected.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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