ESD #12 petitions commissioners for creation

ELLIS COUNTY – The Ellis County Commissioners were presented with petitions for the creation of Ellis County Emergency Service District #12. 

Milford Fire Chief Carlos Phoenix told the commissioners the area in District #12 includes south to the border of Ellis and Hill counties, just north of Bee Creek Schoolhouse Road toward Maypearl on 308, up to Morgan Road on 77 going towards Italy, and all the way to the Navarro and Ellis County line. 

The only municipality in this area is Milford.

“As far as what Milford Fire Department would still take care of, ESD would take care of it all,” said Phoenix.

Under the law, it is the county clerk’s job to document and validate the petitions, which is the next step.

From there a hearing is called to approve the item being placed on the May 2025 ballot for voter approval.

Phoenix said, “The Milford Voluntary Fire Department is not an extension of Milford and they provide roughly $30,000 a year to run a fire department. You can’t do it, we have equipment that is running down, falling apart and we are relying on grants to get new equipment. We talked to the citizens in the area to do an ESD and there is plenty of signatures and lots of support. We are asking the Commissioner’s Court to grant us a spot on the May election for ESD when that time comes.”

It was noted there is still consent for this ESD necessary from the City of Maypearl because it crosses into their ETJ. That item for consent is on the Dec. 9 Maypearl City Council meeting agenda.

Ellis County Judge Todd Little said he favors ESDs because they are a very small tax component, but also citizen approved and done on the ballot, “and we favor those because it helps us in our response to a fire.”  

Little added, “At the November election there were two ESDs approved so people understand in regard to fire insurance.”

The hearing to officially place this item on the May ballot will likely be held at the Ellis County Commissioners Court meeting on December 10.