City leaders say their fire district is double the size of the city, and they only have one fire station.
MELISSA, Texas — Evidence of the city of Melissa’s rapid growth is everywhere.
On a quick drive around town, you’ll see new subdivisions, construction on mixed-use development and lots of road work
“It’s big, it’s booming,” said resident Rajae Kennedy. “I been here for nine, ten years. I came here for the small town feel, and it’s giving very new Frisco.”
But with population booms also comes a need for more public safety resources..
And the City of Melissa says it notified Collin County last year that starting Oct. 1 – its fire department will only respond to calls within city limits.
“It’ll have a major impact on people who live out in the county,” said Jim Foy.
Foy spent years as a volunteer firefighter and city councilman in neighboring Farmersville where they, like Melissa, have an agreement with the county to serve unincorporated areas.
“This year they think they will probably break even on what the county is paying them for making calls out into the into the surrounding area,” Foy said. “But next year they’re projecting it will be $180,000 loss for the county for the city to provide fire protection for the surrounding area and that loss has to be covered by the citizens, by the taxpayers of Farmersville.”
Melissa city leaders say their fire district is double the size of the city, and they only have one fire station.
In a statement to WFAA – Melissa’s city manager wrote:
“This decision was not made lightly. As Melissa continues to grow rapidly, we need to focus our public safety resources within our boundaries and for the benefit of our taxpayers. As a City with only one fire station, responding to events in the Fire District places more pressure on area agencies to cover Melissa through mutual aid agreements while Melissa is outside the City limits. Adjacent communities are growing as much as we are and are experiencing their own increase in call volume. Melissa needs to focus on the area that funds this service. Placing the response burden on other agencies while Melissa is outside the City limits could lengthen response times within the city limits putting lives at risk. Based on calls for service and our single fire station it is no longer possible for Melissa’s fire department to provide services in the Fire District, which is almost twice the size of our city.”
The city says now the areas covered by Melissa will be covered by other fire agencies. Foy says other cities are considering following suit.
“I know that our city manager has been talking to Princeton and Melissa,” he said.
As growth and development in that part of Collin County continues, new discussions surrounding public safety resources will have to be top of mind.