Fire fees eliminated

Commissioners voted unanimously to eliminate county fire fees at a first reading to repeal Chapter 116 of Pike County code Wednesday morning.Fire fees will not be included in tax bills at the end of next year and the fire department’s budget will be a part of the county’s overall budget as it was in years past. County manager Bill Sawyer said the county will go through the normal budgeting process and address the change at that time.”I firmly believe from a budgetary point of view that it will certainly cost citizens less than $50 per household,” he said. A special called meeting Dec. 29 will be held for commissioners to vote on a second reading of the ordinance to repeal the fire fee.