OCEAN CITY, Md. -- Town officials are considering implementing property tax rebates for volunteer firefighters. The goal is to make it less challenging to find recruits and retain volunteers.
Like many volunteer fire company's across the country, the OCVFC has been struggling with recruitment. Steve Price, the OCVFC public information officer, said a big part of it, is the cost of living within town limits.
"One of the challenges we faced on the island in Ocean City is the cost of land and the cost of living on the island itself," said Price. "So we’re hoping this tax incentive, we’re grateful to the mayor and council for considering it, and we’re hopeful for some opportunities for increased membership in our department."
To qualify for a tax rebate, a volunteer firefighter would have to live and own property in Ocean City. The town is still working through the numbers.
"We don't know the exact amounts, it will also depend on your property value, because the higher the property value the higher the tax," said Carol Proctor.
Proctor, an Ocean City councilmember, said while this has not become official yet, the proposition is viewed as a win-win.
"We felt that it’s going to be good for retention and recruitment," said Proctor.
Frederick Senger, President of the OCVFC, echoed this would help with recruitment, but said it will have benefits outside of the volunteer fire company.
"To get guys and members in town, to be responding from town, it would be a benefit to visitors, residents and payers of Ocean City," said Senger.
Price said this is also something that could improve response time, and with summer right around the corner, and the traffic that comes with it, he said it will be all the more important to have volunteers in town.
"It's always a much better situation if we're closer to the stations in town, especially in the summer months where we're hampered by the traffic everywhere," said Price.
Before this becomes official, a few more boxes need to be checked.
"We gave it back to our city manager and our city manager is working on it," said Proctor. "So I would expect it to come back within the next three to four weeks, it will go back to the mayor and city council for a vote."
If this motion moves forward, Proctor said it's possible this effort expands outside of the OCVFC.
"We really want to expand that program as well to all city employees, you know who we want to promote working here and living here, because we just feel if we can expand that it will help everyone," said Proctor.
Possible tax rebates, helping the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company, visitors, and neighbors.