Eudora voters to decide public safety sales tax tied to firefighter expansion

EUDORA, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.

—

The City of Eudora says it will hire three full-time firefighters in 2027 if voters approve a 0.5% public safety sales tax in November.

If approved, Eudora's total sales tax rate would not increase, as a different 0.5% sales tax — used to pay off debt associated with Eudora's community building and pool — is set to expire at the end of the year.

The ballot measure is asking residents to consider shifting public safety improvement expenses from the city's general fund to a 0.5% sales tax, which is estimated to generate about $350,000 annually.

The shift would make room in the general fund's budget to hire three additional full-time firefighters. The cost of those positions — including full-time wages, health insurance and retirement — would total about $327,000 annually, according to city manager Zack Daniel.

“The department has evolved a lot, but what hasn’t changed is the culture of the volunteers and use of volunteers," said Eudora assistant fire chief Chris Hull.

Hull has served with the department since 2009 and is one of the department's two full-time crew members.

He said volunteer firefighters respond to most of the department's calls.

“Our call volume is ever increasing, and it’s difficult for them to keep up with those calls," Hull said.

Lauren Leslie/KSHB

Hull says the department averages a 5% to 10% increase in calls every year. He estimates the department will respond to about 900 calls in 2026.

If the ballot measure is approved, full-time firefighters would provide 24/7 protection for the first time in the Eudora Fire Department's 100-year history.

“Overall, emergencies would start getting handled faster, equipment would arrive on scene more reliably," Hull said.

Daniel said Eudora is growing. The city has executed both residential and commercial agreements over the past year.

"We see this sales tax strategy as a way to grow the public safety operations at the same pace of growth the rest of the community is experiencing," Daniel said.

Hull said the public safety sales tax would fund better equipment for a growing town.

“We’re starting to get three-story development in town, quite a bit of it," Hull said. "Right now, we only have one ground ladder that can reasonably reach a third-story window. It is well over 150 pounds, so it requires two to three people to throw that. Being a volunteer department, I may not be able to guarantee more than one person for an initial response.”

Daniel said the city is considering the purchase of a quint fire engine, which is equipped with an aerial ladder.

RELATED | Eudora Police Department seeks license plate reader, chief says Flock eliminated

“It benefits us, but I think the bigger outcome here is to be able to get a full-time fire department in a community that is growing and will continue to grow for several years," said Eudora police chief Wes Lovett.

Lovett said he would request funding to update police vehicles and weapons.

If passed, the proposed public safety sales tax would begin April 1, 2027, and has no expiration date.

“Those staffing needs don’t expire after a 10-year period, so we don’t want to set up a funding model for a long-range solution and have that funding expire before we have an end of use for it," Daniel said.

—