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The Franklin City Council voted 6-0 at its Dec. 9 meeting to adopt an ordinance that provides a personal property tax exemption for qualified volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel.

Franklin City Manager Rosylen Oglesby said, “City Council can do this under the Code of Virginia Section 58.1-3506 (A)(15), which allows you to establish a classification for the purpose of levying taxes for certain motor vehicles owned or leased by volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel.

“Just to give you a little bit of background, there have been some volunteer firefighters who have reached out to some councilpersons asking for this relief,” she added. 

In consultation with staff and especially the fire chief, she noted that this tax exemption will probably encourage more people to volunteer.

“Right now, what will be required is that each of those volunteer persons will have to certify every year, beginning in January, that they are indeed doing work as a volunteer in one of those categories, and this would just exempt one of those vehicles within the name of that particular volunteer,” she said.

“And just to let council know, you are providing right now one exemption when it comes to the registration on what we used to call the sticker, the license sticker we used to have in our window back in the day,” she said.

She noted that the projected loss of revenue to the city’s General Fund as a result of the exemption provided for by the ordinance is approximately $8,000.

The vote to adopt the ordinance featured only six votes because Ward 2 Councilman Ray Smith was not present.

Following the vote, Franklin Mayor Robert “Bobby” Cutchins recognized a first responder named Clay Black who came out to show his support for the ordinance.

“Thank you, council, for taking it into consideration,” Black said.

“Appreciate what you guys do,” Cutchins said. “All of you.”

Vice Mayor and Ward 5 Councilwoman Wynndolyn H. Copeland said, “Thank you for your service.”